The Power to Protect
by Shinku no Yami
Summary: After winning in the Tournament of Power, Goku wishes back all of the erased universes with the Super Dragon Balls. After going through a powerful experience upon being revived, Caulifla travels to Universe 7's Earth to find Goku to receive training, while getting even more than she imagined. Rated M for lemon, because who doesn't want that between them?
1. Chapter 1

**This is the first chapter from my now finished story. I thought I'd post it now since I just got done and I'm really ecstatic about it and it had a cute end and... yeah lol.**

 **Anyway, this story has the "original" plot of a "what if Goku wished back all the erased universes from the tournament and Caulifla went to go find him?" story. As such, it focuses mainly on these two, has a decent amount of fluff (I may have laid it on too thick at times), and only has one OC who shows up much later. There are other characters, but I only have them in when necessary, which is mainly the beginning and first half, because I wrote this while I was hungry for Goku x Caulifla interactions, and used those characters to kinda set things up.**

 **I definitely think my overall delivery - while more simple - is at its best with mainly the first half, especially these first few chapters (I wrote the first 3 chapters all in one night). Could be because I felt more into it and so I got more out of it, maybe? Idk. I'll be doing my best to touch things up, one chapter at a time. And as a spoiler, these chapters aren't gonna have a consistent length with each other. In fact they tend to get longer as they go on xD**

 **I also noticed my overall story structure seems to fluctuate as my mood and state of mind changes, so this might seem a bit different from the excerpt I posted before. But that I'll probably wind up adjusting as I fix each chapter up too. Also, unless I go in and change it, a lot of the story takes place over the span of about a day. I found I'm not super good with time skips :|  
**

 **Rated M because there _is_ a lemon later on. Given the nature of this fic, the lemons are more emotional, and therefore quite a bit more... descriptive...**

 **This is my first and definitely my last-ever fic. It turned out to be over 50k words and even this was almost too much for me. I am at least proud of the fact that I finished it in just under 2 weeks, but hopefully that doesn't mean it sucks. Kudos to all you writers out there. And the ones who wind up not finishing a story... I totally get it now lol.**

 **Anyway, enjoy!**

* * *

The last thing Caulifla remembered was seeing Kale's glistening eyes, threatening to spill over with unshed tears as the small twin gods began to raise their hands to end their existence entirely.

The young wild-haired Saiyan stole one last glance onto the battlefield, an almost forlorn expression as she observed her most recent mentor and muse - the Saiyan who had taught and helped her grow more in the last few minutes than the entire rest of her existence leading up to this point - one last time.

Enveloped in the aura and grace of Ultra Instinct, he looked like a god. No, and angel.

No, _both_.

 _'I guess I won't get to become strong like him after all, or even learn how to turn blue, or...'_

Her eyes were closed in thought. A ghost of a tear began to manifest itself in the corner of her eye as her thought trailed off.

And then she was no more.

* * *

"HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

The heavens themselves rumbled from the clash of nearly unfathomable power as Goku and Jiren's energy collided, both carrying the entire will of the universes they were representing, protecting. But no matter the righteous intentions, there could be only one victor, and Goku knew that. In order to preserve his own universe, he'd have to erase yet another one.

Like all the others before.

Images of all the individuals he'd faced in this tournament up until this point flashed through his mind. Particularly, the Saiyan girl with the wild spiky hair who had both approached him with the most deadly tenacity and yet with the most endearing childlike wonder. In the small amount of time they'd been fighting this battle royale, she'd become both his greatest enemy and his biggest fan. Both determined to take him down, yet with an honest yearning to grow and learn from him at the same time.

Yet that could've never happened, because at the end of this tournament, only one of them could've possibly remained. A teacher without a student, or a student without a teacher.

How cruel reality could be, to take all these innocent lives away so haphazardly, was the thought that crossed Goku's mind as he continued his struggle for power with Jiren. All he needed was one opening, one decisive moment to end things.

They all flashed through his mind again. Every last person he'd encountered in this tournament. Everyone who had their own universes, ideals, and families to protect. Everyone who had dreams for the future. Everyone who no longer existed.

They deserved more than to be wiped out so suddenly like this!

Letting out a loud shout and an even more enormous amount of power, Goku released a tremendous wave of power into his beam towards Jiren, containing not only his will, but empowered by the will of _everyone_ who fought for their lives so far. All of their faces flashed before him, steeling his resolve to win, with a new goal in mind.

The blast overtook Goku's current beam, making it grow nearly twice as wide. Jiren found his resistance beginning to crumble under the strain, as the very fabric of space itself seemed to crack around the arena.

"Yeah! That's it, Goku! Keep pushing so I don't get erased!" Lord Beerus shouted almost barely audible over the sound of the tremendous energies clashing.

"Hm?" Whis leaned forward and squinted before blinking twice in confusion, "Where is he?"

"Huh!?" Krillin, Shin, Roshi, and Beerus exclaimed in unison before taking a closer look to realize that Goku was no longer at the other end of the struggle.

Back with Jiren, whose muscles were straining to maintain his position against Goku's attack, grunted more loudly as his focus was entirely on overpowering and repelling the Saiyan. So focused that he did not notice the fist that had emerged from inside the beam itself and connected with his barrier, cracking and then shattering it with the resulting force of the clash creating a powerful shockwave that sent both warriors flying.

It was over in the next instant.

Jiren saw Goku in the distance, still in mid flight from the force of the clash. Bringing his hand back, Jiren prepared for one final blast to nail the Saiyan before he recovered. Upon bringing his hand forward, however, he was met with a solid force as his hand was clasped inside Goku's.

Eyes widening, Jiren looked to where he'd seen Goku before, revealed as a mere afterimage to his newfound speed. He felt Goku's grip on his hand tighten, causing him to look back at the man in front of him. The Saiyan's eyes burned with a fierce yet gentle intensity as he spoke.

"This isn't the end, Jiren. I promise. This tournament was filled with too many good people to just let it go." His gaze remained the same, but a soft smile appeared on his lips before he saluted the formidable warrior.

"Until next time." His expression became one of fire as an earth-shaking shout bellowed out from his throat, emitting a powerful blast of energy that split most of what remained of the arena asunder, and sent Jiren flying into the abyss below.

* * *

It was a surreal feeling to say the least. His body felt heavy, but his spirit couldn't be lighter. Finally allowing himself to really relax since the tournament started, Goku fell to ground in a slump, panting heavily with the largest smile he could muster. That same smile he always had after a tough battle that said "We did it, guys".

Pandemonium erupted and Goku would've bet all his zeni that the cheering would've been louder had it consisted of more than just his friends.

"Way to go, Goku!" He heard Krillin shout as his best friend (barely taller than Goku who was sitting) grabbed the Saiyan in the largest hug he could muster.

"You did it, dad! You had us worried there for a second!" Gohan looked far more relaxed than he had since this whole thing started. No doubt he was relieved that his family was safe.

"C'mon, Gohan. You know bleak odds are my specialty!" Giving them a goofy grin, most of the group laughed at his little not-too-inaccurate joke.

That was when Beerus, not looking too amused, stepped up to the Saiyan, "Yeah? Well if you'd have gone and lost I'd have wiped your planet out personally." Spoke the God of Destruction in a very serious tone.

"Oh, but Lord Beerus, how could you do that if both you and the planet had been erased?" Asked Whis in a whimsical manner, an almost visible smile on his features.

A vain appeared on the feline's head, "DAMMIT WHIS! IT'S HARD TO BE A GOD OF DESTRUCTION WHEN YOU RUIN MY THUNDER!", causing the Angel in question to put up his hands in mock defense.

"Now now, Lord Beerus. I'm merely stating a fact. Aren't you happy that we can all continue to enjoy delicious cuisine on Earth once again?" Asked Whis with a sly look on his face, knowing just how to push all of the god's buttons.

Beerus stopped to consider that for a second before his face lit up with almost childlike joy at the realization, "That's right! I can live to continue enjoying all of the scrumptious food Earth has to offer!" The cat nearly seemed to do a dance as he pointed out towards the void, "Let's return to eat and celebrate right away!"

This time, everyone absolutely laughed at the god's antics - with food on his mind he didn't seem to care - but all agreed that a celebration was in order, and even more than that... returning home.

"You guys go on ahead. I'll catch up in a bit. There's something I need to take care of." A still-slightly-winded Goku spoke up after managing to pick himself up to his feet, _'I made a promise, after all.'_ Again, the images of everyone who had fought, and the ones he had come to even care about, flashed in his head.

"Are you sure, Goku?", "Dad, what's up?", and "What are you playing at, Kakarot?" were the expected replies he got when everyone stopped and turned to look at him like he'd grown a second head. Goku turning down a large celebration meal? This _was_ still Goku, right?

The earthling Saiyan waved them off nonchalantly with his "everything's ok" smile, "Everything's fine, guys. Promise. I'll be with you guys in a jiffy!" Motioning them to go on without him while pretending to know what a jiffy was.

Many of them looked unsure at first, while Beerus (who had abandoned all other thought but food from his mind) made a gesture for everyone to grab hold of him and Whis while calling back to Goku, "If you get back and all the grub is gone, don't blame me!"

"But you will be _mostly_ to blame, Lord Beerus." Answered Whis once everyone had grabbed hold, making them disappear just in time for Goku to hear the first loud syllable of Beerus' retort.

Something along the lines of "Look who's talking!", Goku mused with a smile as he surveyed the arena. Already the Angels were hard at work piecing the crumbled mess back together, and aside from them and Zen-oh, he was completely alone.

 _'Not for long.'_ Thought Goku as he turned to face the middle of the arena, approaching where the two lords were seated.

"That was amazing, Goku!" "Yeah! Amazing! Amazing!" The two childlike creatures echoed as they danced around, coming down to shake the man's hand.

He smiled at their antics before letting them go, "It was thanks to you guys that I was able to have this amazing experience and fight so many different people from different universes!" He spoke with a clear smile on his face, before his expression turned more serious and downcast, "But at the same time, so many people were hurt and sacrificed."

The Saiyan looked down in silent thought for a second before he summoned it within him to bring up the question that had been burning in his mind.

He looked up to where they floated, his voice less grim than before, "You said that the ultimate winner of the tournament would also get to make a wish from the Super Dragon Balls, right? Does this wish have any limits?"

The two put on a puzzled face and made a noise of contemplation as they thought. The tense silence was palpable for Goku as he awaited their answer, which was finally granted when they piqued up after seemingly struck with an idea.

"Nope! No limits!" "None! None!" The two said with a jovial smile in their voice, again filled with a childlike wonder that seemed unbefitting of a god. But before anyone could get carried away, the Great Priest floated in.

"Allow me to clarify. The same restrictions of your Dragon Balls apply, but on a grander scale. You can't use them to say... kill a god or do anything that goes beyond their own power. Outside of that, there are no limits. Is that clearer?"

"Crystal." Goku responded firmly, looking up at the three, "Alright. I've made up my mind.". They looked at him expectantly with almost suspense.

"I wish that all the universes that were erased as a result of this tournament were restored to the way they were before they were erased!"


	2. Chapter 2

**And so here is chapter 2! Things start to pick up a bit more, and I think this was the one I had the most fun with. I wouldn't use this as the gold standard for fights in this fic because I think this is by far my best one, and I don't remember if I even had the idea behind it ahead of time or if it just kinda came out as I went xP  
**

 **This fight may have been a bit planned because there is a purpose behind it. It sets up a few things that I'll go into at the end of the next chapter.  
**

* * *

 _'I guess I won't get to become strong like him after all, or even learn how to turn blue, or...'_

The sounds of confused, startled, awestruck, and jubilant voices flooded Caulifla's ears and registered to her that something was wrong. Were some of those voices from Universe 9? Impossible!

She opened her eyes, wiping away the lingering tear droplet that hadn't gotten to fall, and widened them at what she saw.

Everything was back. All of the teams were alive and in their respective groups, all present and accounted for. The arena looked pristine too, like nothing had even happened here.

Surely she didn't dream the entire thing and the tournament hadn't started yet, right? What kind of hell would force itself on someone _twice_?

She then blinked at that possibility, _'If none of that even happened, does this mean that he-'_ , but she was cut off from her thoughts when she heard the soft murmurings of a familiar voice.

"S-sis?"

Being shaken from her daze, Caulifla looked over to see the source's trembling form. Her soul sister's eyes were filled with tears. Caulifla looked down at her own hands, feeling the lingering pain from the punches she had landed with them before, and the battle marks that decorated her body and clothing. The realization hit her like a wave, and she felt that wave forming tears that begin to stream from her squinted lids as she closed her fists.

It _had_ happened. They _were_ erased. But somehow, they were _alive_.

The wild-haired Saiyan blinked and rubbed her bruised arm across her face to wipe the tears away, feeling more forming to take their place. Her gaze rose to meet her sister's equally tear-stricken one, and she didn't bother to hide it as she lunged at the younger Saiyan.

"Kale!" Caulifla wrapped her arms around the girl's shoulders and all but sobbed silently, letting her tears of joy fall onto Kale's shoulder as she squeezed the life out of her, as if she were afraid she'd disappear again. "Kale, you're alive! We're alive..." The younger Saiyan hugged her sister back, sobbing a bit more noticeably and staining the back of Caulifla's tube top, which didn't bother her in the slightest at the moment. A minute ago she didn't even have a tube top.

Or a body for it to protect the modesty of, or modesty to protect, for that matter. She was _nothing_.

"Y-yeah... I was s-so scared..." The young girl choked out as Caulifla released her to hold her at arm's length and look her over.

"It doesn't matter now though, because we're alive!" Said the older girl with a more cheery smile to lighten the mood and to calm herself down. But then her expression changed to one of confusion as she looked around with a raised eyebrow, watching as all the other teams began to disappear back to their respective universes.

"But... how?" She was startled from her thoughts when a powerful shockwave tore through them, causing her to flinch as she felt every bone in her body tremble from the force, hearing a violent scream of pure malice and blood lust.

"I'LL KILL YOU!"

Recovering from her shock, Caulifla looked over to the source of the voice, towards the center of the arena and her eyes widened with a gasp at what she saw.

There, near the center of the arena on more of the far end, stood the man she'd had on her mind for most of the tournament and her final moments before being erased. The one she'd come to look up to the most. His teeth were gritted and his arms crossed in front of him, straining and shaking under the pressure from two powerful fists that were caught in his own. Pressure that had caused her pain from all the way back here.

The voice had come from the one she knew as Frieza, who she saw pushing against the Saiyan with all of his might. His eyes full of murder and pure rage. She was too lost for words as multiple questions fought in her mind for her tongue.

 _'What's going on? Isn't the tournament over? Isn't he on Goku's team? Why is he attacking him!?'_

She wasn't the only one confused, as she heard Goku voice her own question.

"Frieza... stop! What's gotten into you?!" Goku shouted, strain clear in his voice as he fought against the tyrant's overwhelming might. He still hadn't recovered from fighting Jiren yet and was barely able to hold him off in his current state.

Frieza let out a violent growl that was full of pure malice and a hint of betrayal. "DON'T YOU **DARE** PLAY DUMB WITH ME, _KAKAROT_!" Goku could tell he was mad. He never used his Saiyan name, and he winced and faltered slightly as Frieza put more force into his assault.

 _'Kakarot?'_ Thought Caulifla as she heard that name. No doubt the rest of her team, which had turned their attention to the in-fighting as well, were wondering the same thing. But right now, they didn't exist to her. She felt her hand shaking as it gripped the edge in front of her seat. Was it exhaustion from earlier, or was it from the pure power and rage she could feel emanating off of Frieza right now?

She only felt that power and anger rising as he continued to push and slowly overpower the other Saiyan.

Said Saiyan began to wince under the pressure of Frieze's might before he tightened his eyes shut and released a loud scream. Not of pain, or at least it didn't sound like it, before his body was enveloped by an aura of energy, using the burst of strength to gain some leverage in order to pivot his body to redirect Frieza's fists into the ground. The resulting impact created another shockwave that shook their body with such force that they could _feel_ the intensity of his anger, followed by a large crack in the floor as well as a cloud of dust and debris.

A split second later, Goku was seen dashing back from the haze with a trail of dust following him. He was given little time to land and breathe when the powerful tyrant emerged from the cloud himself, already in Goku's face in under a second, throwing punch after punch which Goku was struggling just to block or avoid.

"WE HAD A **DEAL** , _SAIYAN_!" That word came from his mouth with such disdain that Caulifla swore the acid in it would've melted her eardrums if she were closer. That only confused her more as she watched her would-be idol/mentor pushed back with every hit that he managed to block. She could feel every single impact vibrate through her, and it _hurt_. How much pain was Goku in right now? Frieza was fully intending to _kill_ him!

The Saiyan girl watched with her expression turning from wide-eyed shock to a pained grimace. She squinted her eyes shut as another wave from a connected punch rattled her body. _'No...'_ Feeling an indescribable fury overcome her as she opened her eyes, her expression became hard and she stopped her shaking as she gripped the edge of the stand tightly and flung herself over and onto the arena below, sprinting towards the two with as much energy as she could muster.

 _'NO!'_

As she approached them to do something... _anything_ to stop what she was afraid would happen, Goku had found his footing for a brief moment and took the opportunity to charge a ki blast in both of his hands while transforming straight to Super Saiyan 2. He thrust his hands at Frieza, who had begun to to do the same, and the two energy-charged forces clashed, creating a powerful rumbling that threw the girl off-balance. Nearly falling over with a sudden shriek, she used a hand to steady herself on the ground and watched the struggle for a moment.

Electricity crackled off of the Saiyan as he seemed to hold his own against Frieza. Both of their faces were intense and twisted with focus. Neither side ready to budge to the other.

That is, until she felt an **enormous** power begin to boil up within Frieza, causing her eyes to widen as she struggled back to her feet. It hadn't even begun to manifest itself and she could already _feel_ it. Apparently so could the heavens themselves as the sky seemed to crack under the pressure. Clouds swirled above the arena and electricity crackled around them. One bolt in particular striking dangerously close to Champa, causing the God of Destruction himself to jump and curse outwardly, finding a way to blame Beerus for this (the two fighting _were_ from his universe, after all).

It wasn't as strong as the power she had felt from Goku or Jiren during their clash before she'd been erased, but it was far beyond her, and well beyond Goku in his current state. It wasn't just the power though. It was the feeling of pure murderous instinct behind that power. For the first time in her life, she was truly scared. The same fear Frieza had instilled in the Saiyans of universe 7 long ago.

Only, the fear wasn't entirely for herself. She saw the man she'd done battle with, who overcame her at every point, struggle more and more as Frieza's power began to manifest itself, turning the white Frost Demon into a terrifying gold, targeting all his power and ire on the Saiyan who had now fallen down to one knee.

Despite the fear and overwhelming difference in power, the female Saiyan took an instinctive step forward, followed by another, and another. She didn't know what she was going to do, but she had to stop it! Each step was harder than the last as the shaking intensified, causing her to stop after realizing that it wasn't just coming from Frieza. The feeling was confirmed when she heard Goku begin to bellow at the top of his lungs. An enormous burst of energy began to let itself loose which threatened to knock her over. She was doing a better job than the air was, as it began to feel absolutely electric on her skin. The clouds began to shift in a much different manner than before, as if night and day themselves were being affected and sped up to ridiculous levels, in this realm that seemed to posses neither night nor day.

Goku's screams grew more intense as his power grew. It felt forced, strained. As if he was fighting more just to release this power than he was against Frieza, let alone maintain it. But as time passed, the Saiyan began to falter less, pushing back against the tyrant as both his power and... his hair grew?

Caulifla gasped. This was...!

The sound of the energy radiating from Goku changed from before. It was more palpable. More forceful. He had a hardened, eyebrow-less expression as he stared down Frieza who in turn stared back, pushing against his attack with seeming equal force. His golden hair came down to his lower back now, with a single bang in font of his face.

"Super Saiyan 3..." She muttered to herself in awe, having seemingly forgotten the situation around them for a moment. It wasn't the most powerful form she could obtain, but it _was_ the most visually stunning. It was the next level of power she wanted to learn to obtain, and Goku was supposed to teach her. She had only been able to catch a brief glimpse of it before...

Before she could shake herself from her stupor, Goku had done that for her when he made the first move. With a quick jerk of his arms, he threw both his and Frieza's hands upward, surprising the alien when their combined blasts flew into the air above, creating an explosion that bathed them in light as the Saiyan leaned forward to to begin his onslaught.

This time Goku was on the offensive, throwing punch after punch Frieza's way, occasionally attempting to land a kick or a knee. Frieza blocked every blow as he was pushed back, before beginning to trade blows with the Super Saiyan 3. The two vanishing and reappearing rapidly, landing a more fierce blow with a pause at every reappearance. Each blow caused the crack in the arena to grow more and more under the pressure.

Merely the force of each blow as the two would reappear was enough to cause Caulifla's spiky hair to sway as if being blown in the wind, with how close she was. Suddenly, the two fighters appeared in front on either side of her and raced forward, meeting in the middle on their side of the arena, their fists and knee connecting with a rumble which was seconds later followed by another bone-rattling shockwave that caused the crack in the arena to tear asunder. The side that the two stood on and the side that the rest occupied began to drift apart from the force, forming their own separate arena.

Caulifla came to her senses and realized this too late, finally finding it in her to run toward the two, only to stop at the edge that had now formed a chasm. There still was no flying in this realm, at least not if it wasn't over solid ground, and could only look on helplessly as the two held each other in another lock.

The silence was broken when Frieza again spoke up, venom dripping from every syllable.

"You were supposed to use the Super Dragon Balls to wish me back to life for helping you..." His face twisted in another scowl as he struggled against the lock he held with Goku, his rage fueling his power even more, twisting his body to lash out at the Saiyan with his tail. Goku released his grip on Frieza to block the attack, receiving a firm punch to his face which sent him flying back, recovering with a flip to land on his feet only to see the golden menace rushing towards him immediately.

"WHY INSTEAD DID YOU WASTE YOUR WISH BRINGING THOSE WEAKLINGS BACK INTO EXISTENCE!?"

Caulifla gasped and her eyes widened further than before, those words striking into her core. The rest of universe 6 had also been shocked to hear that's what happened. They knew it had to have been _something_ since they had definitely been erased. To think that out of everything imaginable...

"... that's what he used his one wish for..." _'... for me..?'_ He'd obviously used his wish to bring back ALL of the lost universes, but still something tightened in her chest at that thought. He had intentions to train her, didn't he? To take her under his wing? That's what she wanted to believe. No, that's what she _knew_ , even if it had only been a part of it. She knew that she'd crossed his mind, that he saw her as someone worthy, enough to betray and risk angering this monster in order to bring them... _her_ back with that in mind.

She was brought back from her thoughts when she felt the force of Frieza's fist connecting with Goku's arm, seeing the Saiyan wince before brushing the golden arm to the side, ducking back before Frieza could retaliate in order to dodge yet another punch, using the momentum to grab the ground and flip himself back, striking Frieza's chin with his foot as he sprung himself into the air. While upside down, Goku released a series of seemingly invisible blasts toward Frieza, causing the tyrant to stumble to his knees for a second as Goku landed, wasting no time to dash forward and plant his elbow firmly in Frieza's face.

Frieza grunted as he flew back from the force, with Goku chasing in tow. The Saiyan formed two balls of yellow energy in his hands as he began to spiral, allowing the energy to trail and form what looked like two whips from his hands, slamming first one and then the other into Frieza, causing him to bounce off the ground with each hit and into the next volley, earning a grunt of pain with every hit. For the final hit, Goku pivoted himself to change the angle, slamming into Frieza from below and knocking him into the air, with Goku continuing to spin while releasing each ki blast towards his airborne opponent

There was a wave of relief from the current situation. It looked like Goku had the upper hand now. Perhaps Frieza was tired out as well... The girl released a sigh she didn't know she'd been holding, allowing herself to relax.

And then, to her suddenly tense horror, the alien had instantly steadied himself in the air, catching to two balls of energy with a dangerous look on his face. Goku had little time to form an equally surprised expression as Frieza morphed the two spheres into flat disks of deadly sharpness, sending them flying back down at the Saiyan, who was already starting to look worn down again by this point.

Saving his energy for the last second, Goku narrowly avoided the first disk as it grazed past his chest, tearing a small slit in what remained of the blue undershirt of his gi. The second hit closer to its mark, leaving a sizable slice in his left forearm. It's unknown which of the two Saiyans tensed up more, but Goku ignored the pain all the same and leapt away from where he stood as the disks reemerged from the ground below for another pass, completely tearing that part of the stadium up and causing it to break away.

With a surprised and confused gasp, the younger Saiyan looked up towards Frieza. She trembled when she realized he was controlling them. She had never seen an attack like this before. Blasts that were powerful enough to vaporize were one thing. They could be blocked with enough force. There was something bone-chilling about an attack that could slice through you regardless of power. Like the fear many humans have of knives. But this was an attack that could be controlled too. There was something unsettlingly... _visceral_ about it.

She had wanted to step in before, and still did, but the thought of an attack like that coming for her was... She shook her head, noticing that Goku had quickly recovered and was swiftly dodging between them as they circled and darted at him like flies around garbage. Clearly he was aware of what he was up against, which brought some relief as every subsequent pass at him continued to miss.

His movements seemed a bit strange at first, until she noticed that he was making his way over to Frieza. Her eyes flashed as she quickly figured out what he was planning, her body now tensing up out of anticipation rather than fear, waiting for the result that would finally put a stop to this.

It was all on this one decisive moment... a feint...

Frieza scowled at Goku as the Saiyan advanced towards him, trying over and over to slice him into ribbons before he got too close. "Don't think I don't know what you're up to, monkey! That trick won't work on me again!"

 _'Again..?'_ But this was the only time this has happened in the fight so far. She blinked as Goku neared the angry tyrant.

Had these two fought before?

Goku got in front of Frieza, causing both the golden alien and Caulifla to tense up in anticipation of the distraction tactic that was to come.

But what happened next made her blood run cold...

* * *

 **Aaaaaand sorry for the cliffhanger xP I don't make a habit of it. My explanation behind this so far in regards to Caulifla's reactions is that I'm having her come from a position where she's never had to deal with someone like Frieza, who is both an immensely powerful force and someone who enjoys murdering and torturing people. Despite the threat of their universes being erased, there wasn't really a bloodthirsty intent to kill. So this kinda shakes her from the lighthearted and almost childlike spirit she had when it was more or less a fun game for power to her.  
**

 **Also I should mention that I'm gonna be playing it fast and loose with the power levels here. My reasoning here is that Goku's tired. Too tired to use Saiyan God or Super Saiyan God or Ultra Instinct (tbh I'm not a huge fan of them, so I find excuses not to use them), and Frieza is also somewhat tired while also kinda warming up.**

 **Though while I'm not a big fan of them, that doesn't mean I won't be going beyond Super Saiyan 3 at all. Considering that it's a 400x multiplier, and Gold Frieza is almost as strong as Super Saiyan God which is a 5600x multiplier.  
**

 **But, again, fast and loose lol.**

 **Also, again I'm thankful for all the reviews and encouragement. What** **AriesNoChuy said about Chi-Chi, I totally agree. While I don't recall bashing her _too_ much in this fic, she definitely doesn't get any love from me either.  
**


	3. Chapter 3

**3rd chapter is here. By a wide margin the longest fight in the fic. Partly due to having more energy but also because my focus shifted more to the characters later on. Hopefully this translates as well as it played out in my mind as I wrote it lol.**

* * *

Had Caulifla's veins become filled with ice all of a sudden, or had her heart simply stopped? She wasn't sure nor was she currently thinking about that as she watched the crazy Saiyan vanish before reappearing directly in front of Frieza, taking the opportunity to wrap his arms around the golden terror and hold him in a vice-grip, keeping him from moving out of the way.

Goku whispered into Frieza's ear with a deadly tone, "Go ahead and do it. 2 for 1, Frieza. How does _that_ sound?"

It took a moment for Frieza to get over his shock, but his expression turned into a wicked grin as he chuckled, trading his shocked expression over to Goku.

"Hnhnhnhn! I told you this trick won't work on me now." Frieza's uncharacteristically calm demeanor was _not_ what Goku was expecting, nor was he expecting when Frieza in turn grabbed a hold of him, using his tail for extra insurance that the idiot Saiyan wouldn't escape.

"What!? But-" Goku struggled but was cut off as Frieza finished. "You forgot that, unlike last time, I'm already dead."

Any semblance of hope that Goku had some kind of plan that didn't involve suicide was crushed when Caulifla saw Goku begin to struggle in futility against Frieza's hold, clearly trying to get away after the alien had suddenly turned the tables on him.

Goku was exhausted. She could tell. He could tell. Frieza could tell. Everyone could probably tell (the Zen-oh twins were just thrilled to see another "amazing" fight). A pang hit her chest when she'd heard Frieza tip his hand to her. Well, really he was tipping it to Goku, but until then she didn't understand the halo or know that Frieza was already dead, which Goku must've forgotten about in the heat of the moment.

There was no getting out of it. He was going to... No!

She couldn't get over there without flying, but...

She steeled her gaze at Frieza with a furious glare. Her previously cold blood coming to a boil, with any tears that had been threatening to brim in her eyes evaporating from the heat radiating from her as she charged herself up to Super Saiyan with an _angry_ scream that rivaled Frieza's initial rage.

Wasting absolutely no time, she formed a small sphere of condensed red energy in her right hand and threw it toward the two with a furious growl, sending it whistling through the air until it found its mark, making contact with the flat side of the first disk and piercing it through before doing the same with the second disk in one shot. Frieza had been completely focused on his target in front of him and still hadn't noticed her presence, forming a shocked wide-eyed expression as the two disks exploded before making contact with him or Goku.

Caulifla still had her arm held out, breathing heavily from her adrenaline more than the attack as she tried to calm down, watching the two offending disks as they were run through and destroyed. The ensuing force threw the two combatants off balance, weakening Frieza's grip and giving Goku the opportunity he needed.

 _'Now or never..!'_ Shouted Goku in his mind as his eyes both widened and sharpened in a primal fury. Time seemed to slow to a crawl for Goku as he and Frieza stumbled back from each other, and he began to reach deep inside himself while physically preparing an attack on the stunned alien.

Caulifla continued to pant as she recovered from the strain (physical? mental? both?) from before, having reverted back to her normal form. She had only just begun to relax - well, relax compared to before - when she felt a sudden static energy fill the air around them. The sensation caused parts of her skin to tingle and all of her hairs to stand on end. It unnerved her until she focused and realized where it was coming from.

 _'What is this!? I've... I've never felt an energy like this before!'_

She had managed to steady her breathing as she continued to stare intently at the Saiyan who had begun to emit this strange power. It wasn't so much its intensity - though it was intense, but something about it was just... _intoxicating_ to her. Not a surprise as she'd always been attracted to power and a strong desire to obtain it, but this was something new and foreign that she wanted to experience for herself.

She _needed_ him to teach her all this! But...

She made a bewildered sound as she watched Goku change, or rather _'Huh? He changed **back**!?'_

Goku was no longer a Super Saiyan, let alone a Super Saiyan 3. He had seemingly reverted back to normal. She would've been worried - being in base form was **not** something you'd wanna do while fighting Frieza in his current state, lest he killed you before you could transform - but she only felt Goku's power increasing in intensity. His own hairs were standing on end. She could see that, only...

They were getting thicker?!

Goku emitted a guttural primal yell that shook both her and Frieza as he continued his (in his perspective) slow-motion attack. Deep red hair began to grow around his body, dark hair lengthening and spilling over his shoulders. A tail... had he had one this entire time? She hadn't noticed one before. Saiyans from universe 7 _were_ said to have been born with tails.

And his eyes... they were neither the onyx color she shared nor the teal of a Super Saiyan. They flashed a wicked amber, his pupils clearly visible and seemed to dilate before shrinking, either in concentration or rage... or both.

And in that moment, he struck.

A _powerful_ blow that rattled her own rib cage, watching as Frieza made a soundless expression of pain from being punched, unguarded, in the gut from this new and strange power. Another seemingly animal-like scream was all the warning they got from Goku when he followed up his punch with an explosive burst of energy from his fist, sending Frieza flying back and into the ground, forming a long crater as he slid to a stop while gasping in pain.

Had Goku really overpowered the tyrant or simply caught him off guard? Caulifla took the opportunity during the brief pause to study Goku's form, as she'd had little time to do so when she first saw Super Saiyan 3 too.

Most notable was that Goku's blue shirt had disappeared, seemingly replaced by a long-sleeved red one, except that part of his chest had remained bare. No... he had fine red fur covering his arms, his back, his stomach, some of his chest, and... his tail. She blinked. He _definitely_ didn't have one before, or hadn't shown it.

His hair looked wild, almost exactly like hers now, only it was longer with some spilled frontwards over his shoulders. His face still _looked_ the same, but something seemed... different. Mainly his eyes. The look he gave was more intense, more wild yet... focused, than what he'd shown before.

This was clearly some kind of Saiyan form, but it was far different from anything she'd seen before. And the way this _felt_ too. Goku wasn't radiating any energy, but she could feel its weight on her. A weight that surely would threaten to crush whoever faced its fury, but felt comforting over her.

It felt _right_.

This Son Goku was one surprise after another.

A fact she _really_ liked.

The sound of rubble shifting to her left stirred her out of her thoughts, and now both her and Goku's attention were on where the alien lie from the seemingly painful blow from before.

Gold gleamed in the light through the dust his rustling created. He seemed to struggle for a moment before standing fully upright, dusting himself off before cracking his neck to work out any kinks. He turned a hard gaze towards Goku, nearly matching the intensity of the Saiyan's own.

"You're full of surprises, monkey. You've really grown into that name now, haven't you?" From the look on his face and the tone of his voice, it was hard to tell whether he was amused or seething, "I don't believe I've seen _this_ side of you before."

"You haven't." Even Goku's voice was different. It sounded more gruff. More... _primal_. The combination of that and the intense energy that impregnated the air sent a shiver down her spine. A different tingling sensation than when she would turn Super Saiyan. Was this power itself impregnating her too - _'No, no like that!'_ She had quickly clarified in her head - or was something deep within _her_ reacting to it?

"This is a Saiyan in its purest form." Goku held the same intensity in his voice as he looked down at his clenching and opening fist. If it were possible, his voice seemed to grow just a bit softer as he looked up at Frieza. "I'm sorry that I couldn't keep my promise to you. You're dead, but you still exist. Any dragon can bring you back." His voice continued to rise as he spoke, to emphasize his point, "Only the Super Dragon Balls can wish someone back into existence."

 _'Someone...'_ That word rang in her head.

He didn't say "people". He said " _someone_ ". Caulifla unconsciously reached up for her sternum when she felt her chest tighten again, writing it off as the energy in the air. Had that been a Freudian slip or did he simply use the wrong wording?

She didn't have time to wonder further when she saw Frieza already on top of Goku, dark purple ki blasts in hand.

He sent strike after strike towards the Saiyan, detonating and creating new ki blasts in his hands with each attack so even as they missed, they would land a blow in some way. "YOU THINK I GIVE A **DAMN** ABOUT YOUR EXCUSES!? WE HAD A **DEAL**! AND YOU. BROKE. IT!"

Goku grunted as he dodged each attack and blocked each blast as best he could. The speed of Frieza's strikes only continued to increase, seemingly to match his rising fury. The alien didn't seem to care if the blasts were even close enough to cause himself some damage too. The only thing on his mind was reducing the Saiyan in front of him to a pulp.

He was already dead, and about to return to the hell he'd briefly escaped from. He had nothing more to lose.

That alone made Frieza dangerous.

As Goku lifted his arm to block another blast, Frieza pivoted to whip his tail out at the Saiyan, wrapping it around his wrist to hold him in place. Acting purely on reflex and adrenaline, Goku changed his footing and pivoted as well, spinning to lift Frieza up by his tail before he could unravel it, swinging him over Goku's head and slamming him into the ground behind him.

As Frieza collided with the ground and the grip of his tail slackened, Goku took the opportunity to leap into the air away from him, bringing his hands together at his right side in a familiar stance as he seemed to fall in slow motion.

By this point, Frieza was intent on killing them both. There was no point in holding back.

"KA... ME..." The chilling sound of Goku's voice caught the Saiyan girl's attention as her eyes followed him, recognizing the attack immediately. Something was different, though. Her eyes widened when instead she saw two red spheres of energy form in his hands, which connected and ground against each other with such intense force that they were actually shaking his arms from their sporadic movement.

"HA... ME..." The combined energy was completely unstable and growing in intensity from the two spheres' friction together. The display was almost like s... Caulifla's face flushed slightly at that seemingly rogue thought and she shook it away, before-

"HAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

If his voice was loud and intense before, this was soul-shattering. All energy and temperature seemed to vanish around them (or more realistically, pale in comparison) as the two separate energy spheres met and became one in his palms, releasing what could only be described as a pure orgasmic explosion of power that vibrated every atom of her being.

This power was unreal. It was overwhelming. It was electrifying. It was terrifying.

It was _addicting_...

The sound of the searing hot blast alone felt as if it could tear eardrums asunder, but it was nothing compared to when it connected with the arena floor where Frieza had been last seen. The force of the impact completely shattered their side of the arena, causing large chunks to fly in different directions even further away from where Caulifla and the rest of team universe 6 were sitting. Even their own side began to fracture and crack. The Saiyan girl had fallen to one knee to brace herself from being pushed off, using an arm over her forehead to shield her eyes from the wind.

 _'Is this really... the power of a mortal..!?'_ Maybe somewhere deep down she was actually questioning if Goku in fact had the status of a god - as he _did_ possess god ki - but unlike Saiyan God or Super Saiyan God, this power of Goku's wasn't using any god ki. This was his own natural power..

Could she obtain this power as she was now too?

The force of the blast sent resounding shockwaves pulsing through the air, breaking up the debris even more and leaving few chunks of arena for Goku to land on. She saw him touch down on one of the larger chunks below him, leaning against a large piece of rubble that rested atop it, in a crouched position, visibly breathing heavily as he surveyed the destruction.

His form and that last attack had taken a lot out of him. He was at his limit, but at least-

A powerful sonicboom tore through her eardrums as something sped by, causing her to flinch and duck her head while covering her poor ears from further pain. She looked up when a powerful following vibration tore through her body with nearly enough force to stop her heart on its own. Though that heart-stopping force was little compared to what she saw, which caused her eyes to widen in horror with a sharp gasp at the sight of a perfectly-fine and absolutely-livid Frieza, his fist deeply embedded in Goku's stomach, the latter's face a mix of pain and shock as the force of the punch left no sound or even air to escape his lungs.

The two were frozen like that for what seemed like an eternity. Like they were locked in a fierce battle.

But then, to her horror, she saw Goku's hair begin to revert back to its normal palm tree-like spikiness and his red fur receding, replaced by peach skin and a blue undershirt. The look on his face had lost most of its intensity, though much of that was due to the silent gasp Frieza had forced out of him.

She heard the tyrant chuckle darkly as he twisted his fist in deeper, eliciting a further silent pained response from the target of his ire as he sat so pathetically below him. Finally loosening his fist from Goku's gut, the Saiyan made a desperate heartbreaking gasp for breath as air returned to him, coughing again and again in response until he felt Frieza's cold grip of steel tighten around his throat, lifting the Saiyan up in front of him.

Caulifla felt her body inwardly shaking just as Goku's was visibly shaking. This was terrifying. A fear that freezes you in place (oh how appropriate his name sounded right now). She was scared. Of what? Many things. Frieza for one. Both his power and the bloodthirsty malice behind it were palpable, something she'd never felt before, but also...

She looked into Goku's eyes, one squinted as he struggled to break Frieza's grip. She'd never seen that expression on him before, but she was sure she probably looked even more terrified. What was about to happen...

Why wasn't anyone else stepping in to help him!?

Goku flinched and grunted in pain as Frieza began to land repeated punches into his unprotected stomach, relishing in the pain he was causing before being able to finally finish his hated enemy off. This was something he'd only dreamed of, if his sick dark laughter was any indication.

"Oh how I've _**waited** _for this moment for so long!" He exclaimed with a sinister mirth as his latest punch had caused Goku to cough up a spatter of blood while struggling not to choke on the blood that hadn't managed to escape his clenched throat.

"Ohhh! He's really going to kill him!" "Wow! Really!" She heard the Zen-oh twins exclaim above her, stealing a glance up at them. They weren't going to stop it. They were going to let this terribly powerful tyrant _slaughter_ him!

She looked back over, and every part of her being became cold as ice when she saw Frieza with his finger pointed at Goku's heart; a small red ball of energy at its tip. Her gaze appeared blank and her body numb.

 _'No...'_

Goku barely had the energy left to even struggle at this point. The alien's smirk grew wicked as he pressed the energy closer, burning at the material of his shirt.

"No..." Her voice came out in a whisper. More quiet and much softer than she'd ever heard herself before.

"In the end, you get to meet the same fate as the rest of your monkey race." Frieza's smirk had widened to a malicious toothed grin, "At my hand." And with that, he prepared to send the ball of energy flying straight through his greatest and most hated adversary's heart.

"NOOO!" Caulifla screamed at the top of her lungs, feeling a fire ignited within her that burned much hotter than anything she'd felt before, melting the ice and numbness away. Her eyes sharpening as life and emotion returned to them. This power rippled from her body, before eventually exploding as electricity began to spark around her. The clouds began to shift again, with her now-golden hair starting to grow even longer.

Over on the sides, Cabba and Kale had finally noticed that Caulifla was no longer sitting next to them when they saw her power erupting in the center (now the far end of their half) of the arena. Her hair was longer now, like Goku's had been when she and Kale had fought with him.

Either Cabba's eyes widened or his pupils had shrunk, or both. "T-that's..!"

Kale recognized it immediately.

"S-Super Saiyan... 3..."

The bloodcurdling scream that escaped Caulifla's throat had caught Frieza's attention, causing him to pause his attack and look over in her direction. What he saw was a petite yet very pissed-off Super Saiyan 3 girl. Her eyes were narrowed and her teeth clenched with her lips curled back, like an angry lioness bearing its fangs. A series of red energy orbs danced around in her right hand, which was stretched back and ready to fire.

"Don't you _**dare** _touch him!" She literally _growled_ at the golden tyrant. Her voice contained the intensity of a shout, but was low and feral. Fitting of an animal like the Saiyans, Frieza had thought to himself. He could almost taste the venom dripping from her every word, but upon sizing the smaller girl up, realized her bark right now was worse than her bite.

He chuckled darkly and turned back to his target while addressing her.

"How sweet. I'm _almost_ touched." His mouth formed a genuine, albeit wicked smile. His voice then became low and dangerous, "You're not gonna take this from me. Even if you were strong enough to destroy me, you're too far away for that to reach me in time."

Frieza's gaze hardened as he steeled himself to shove his ball of death straight through Goku's chest. Electricity continued to crackle around Caulifla as she brought her arm back, shaking with realization.

He was right. There was nothing she could do to stop him before it was too late. All she would accomplish is blast him in revenge for... no! She didn't wanna think about that right now. She didn't wanna think about _anything_!

She only wanted...

Caulifla suddenly blinked in shock when she saw Frieza's ball of energy disappear, causing a faint sparkle of tears to fall from her face and fade. Frieza appeared to be just as confused and made a sound to equally voice it.

"What's going on!? What is the meaning of this!?" He had dropped Goku back against the rubble he'd been leaning on, no longer possessing the strength to hold the Saiyan up, much the same way the Saiyan had no strength to hold himself up. From the exhaustion and damage he'd taken, Goku appeared to be barely conscious.

Yet he still somehow looked to be doing better than Frieza, who seemed to be struggling just to... remain where he was?

A sudden shift in the space next to Frieza took her attention as well as the others', as the Angel she recognized as Lord Whis stepped out from the distorted sphere, looking like he'd lost his head until he saw Frieza and approached him.

" _There_ you are! I knew I'd forgotten something when we left, but couldn't put my finger on it!" He held his chin in one hand and his elbow in the other. "When Baba said your time was almost up and asked where you were, I had to think faster than Goku's Instant Transmission to come up with an excuse and then race over here as quick as possible before it was too late!"

Frieza's eyes looked murderous and bloodshot, but there was nothing he could do about it. "What the hell do you mean!?" His voice was murderous, but it was the only thing dangerous about him now as the Angel tapped him on the shoulder, tagging him with a sigil.

"I had to make sure I found you in time to do this or else you'd never find your way back when you disappeared!" Whis exclaimed, looking both distressed and relieved with his job done. " _Someone_ would've chewed me out if I didn't make sure you made it back to HELL."

Contrary to Frieza's current disposition, Caulifla had calmed down considerably, reverting back to her normal form before letting out a shaky breath. She did't fully grasp the situation behind what was going on, but she'd gathered that Frieza no longer held any power here.

He couldn't cause anymore pain.

The alien let out a frustrated yet scared sound as he began to fade out of the realm they were occupying. He looked back at Goku before stealing a glance at her, and in that moment she knew what was going through his mind - how she'd delayed him just enough to stop him from killing Goku before it was too late.

She had managed to save him, and was in fact the reason he was still alive.

Whether Frieza was about to shout his curses at her or to the heavens, she didn't get to find out as he vanished from view before the syllables could escape his mouth.

It was finally calm. The air of overwhelming power and malicious intend was gone. With the tension and fearborne adrenaline gone, she fell to her knees and hung her head in exhaustion, her chest heaving as she caught her shaking breath through her open mouth. She stole a glance up, to confirm to herself that Goku was in fact alive, and saw the Angel approach the still _but breathing_ Saiyan.

"Oh! So this is what you stayed back for? A sparring match with Frieza?" Whis asked/exclaimed with... was it genuine wonder or feigned? He _couldn't_ have been serious and missed what he'd walked in on...

To her surprise, the winded Saiyan let out a single equally-winded chuckle, answering gruffly yet just as lightly, "Yeah... you could say that." A weak playful grin appeared on his jokingly smug face. "He gave me a _real_ workout."

How could he be able to joke after all that? Even without Frieza's final death ball, he must have been struggling just to breathe! But... he was alive. That thought caused her to smile to herself as she closed her eyes for a moment, steadily catching her breath as her heart rate gradually returned to normal.

 _'Now's my chance to...'_ She trailed off as she opened her eyes. There was so much she wanted to say, so much she wanted to ask him. A panicked look replaced her serene features when she saw Goku - who was holding Whis' hand - vanish to return to his own universe.

In the small span of time between opening her eyes and them disappearing, she was already skidding to a stop at the edge of the chasm before sliding off, a hand outstretched towards them.

"Wait!"

But it was too late.

They were gone.

* * *

She hadn't heard the sounds of her friends calling out to her, or of Champa telling her to get her ass over to the rest of her team so they could go home. That or she'd tuned them out as she continued to stare at the now empty space that Whis and Goku had just occupied. She had been deep in thought when she felt a hand on her shoulder, snapping her out of her trance with a startled blink as she turned to see the smiling face of Cabba and the timid-yet-happy expression of Kale.

"That was amazing, Cauli!" He'd stopped in front of her with his fists held out in a power stance of excitement. His eyes were brimming with mirth at remembering how she'd turned Super Saiyan 3 right in front of them.

Kale had raised a hand to her mouth to cover her timid smile "Yeah. Y-you're really strong, Sis!"

Despite her downcast feeling, a smile crept up the wild-haired Saiyan's features as pride filled her heart at her sister's praise, though she couldn't fully enjoy it or even recognize it herself. The smile faded as she glanced back over her shoulder to the spot she'd been staring at before, "Not strong enough..." She quietly voiced her thought aloud.

A spark returned to her features as she whipped back around and regarded Cabba with an arm and finger extended toward him, "And you! Call me that again and I'll use my new power to turn you into the first Saiyan sirloin!" Her usual energy filled her voice, and truth be told she wouldn't have gone _that_ far, but she didn't like being called that so casually.

The young Saiyan boy understood the message loud and clear, shrinking back with a nervous chuckle and a quick apology, or two, or three. And banter continued.

It was good to be alive again... _'... all thanks to him...'_

Caulifla was broken from her thoughts when she heard Kale's voice calling for her with just a bit louder of a voice than she was comfortable using.

"C-come on, Sis! We're going back..." Kale was waving to her from the distance that she and Cabba had walked to when they realized Caulifla wasn't following. She blinked and shook herself back to reality, regarding her sister with a firm not.

"Right. Coming!" She shouted much more loudly back, not wanting to hear that annoying cat Champa start bitching again. She took a steady step before halting suddenly, pivoting herself around gracefully (for her condition) to give one last familiarly forlorn glance toward the spot where she'd last seen him.

So many thoughts and scenarios played out in her mind, before her expression changed to one of solid conviction.

 _'I'm not done with you yet...'_

A determined yet subtly sly smirk appeared on her face as she turned back around to join the others.

* * *

 **And there you have it! This ends the bit that I wrote in the span of a few hours because like Shulk I was _really_ feeling it. Here we have the event that came back to haunt Caulifla in the excerpt I originally posted. Now you can see where her fear comes from.**

 **The purpose of this fight was to instill a few things in Caulifla. For her, this was a traumatizing event to witness first-hand, and one that made her feel weak and helpless, to provide a solid recurring driving force in her to become stronger. Though at the same time it pushed her to achieve the next stage of power (a metaphor of bringing her feelings to the surface) and ultimately _did_ make a difference in the outcome.  
**

 **Also, while I'd started the fic off with Caulifla having some kind of feeling towards Goku, this was to really bring those out. People tend to be more open and honest with their feelings towards someone when they see them in mortal danger or something similarly terrifying.  
**

 **And yeah, LightningBlade49, it was a bit convenient for Frieza to forget the normal Dragon Balls xD I was going off of Goku promising to use the Super Dragon Balls specifically, but I could be remembering wrong. So Frieza acted more on a feeling of betrayal and blinded to reason. Also he just really hates Goku lol.**

 **You're also right, Talonsen. I meant to put an exception to Ultra Instinct when I said the new forms didn't look interesting to me. I don't find it AS stunning as Super Saiyan 3, but it does have a really cool effect. I jokingly call it "DBZ Goku" because it turns him from the bumbling Super Goku into the badass Z Goku xP As for the multipliers, I put them below. I think Gold Frieza would ultimately wreck SS3 Goku too (which is why he wrecked "SS4" Goku here in the end) but I could see there being a little bout before that, with the way Super handles power levels (don't get me started on the matchups I had to horribly suspended my disbelief for xD). Even more than Z,** ** **Super likes to often _completely_ disregard power levels lol.****

 **And for the elephant in the room... yes I brought Super Saiyan 4 into this xP While I'm not a fan of GT, it's visually the most interesting and unique form. I don't think it's possible to really dispute that it's the most unique. And by that, I mean by design. It is by far the most removed from all the other Super Saiyan forms, and is not directly tied to them. You need to get to SSJ before you can go SSJ2, for instance, and SSJ2 before SSJ3, as they're different levels/mutations of the same form. SSJ4 is separate, and by far looks the most different. It's very inspired in design, and is actually a reference to Sun Wu-Kong, the "Monkey King" from Journey to the West, which both Goku and Dragon Ball itself is based on, so the people who thought up SSJ4 really did their homework and had it pay homage to both Goku's character and had it go back to the Saiyans' own monkey-like roots, almost as if it's supposed to be their true form or true untapped power/potential. Aside from the gold glow, it resembles the image of the original Super Saiyan shown when Vegeta would describe the legend of it in early DBZ. Sure the god forms of Super have cool powers, but by design they're not as inspired. SSJ4 is really out there. Much different. VERY creative.  
**

 **However I don't like the term "Super Saiyan 4", again because it doesn't seem like the next stage up from Super Saiyan 3. You don't have to go through Super Saiyan 3 to get it. In this fic, it's going to be presented as, like Goku said, a Saiyan's purest and most true form. Not to say that the god forms aren't pure or that god ki isn't pure, but I mean that it's a Saiyan's purest form because it uses their own power and doesn't require god ki, or basically the strongest they can get on their own (from genetics) without god ki, since god ki is a separate outside energy. Kind of like the "Perfect Cell" of Saiyans. And unlike GT, I don't have it requiring a tail (though requiring one to be a pure-blooded Saiyan), but one does grow from the transformation. I was having it referred to as True Super Saiyan instead, unless you think True Saiyan or Primal Saiyan sounds better. Or whatever name someone can come up with that sounds fitting. I'm open to ideas.  
**

 **Anyway it's not as strong as Saiyan God or Super Saiyan God, but the difference is it doesn't use god ki, which those two forms require. That's also my excuse for him using it over those forms or Ultra Instinct here, on top of wanting to add it in for a surprise/callback since it's the one thing Caulifla has NOT seen. Goku was just exhausted of the reserves needed for those stages while having just enough to enter the normal Saiyan stages and kinda hold his own before being ultimately overpowered in the end.**

 **Caulifla's reaction to this form... well the form seems the most animal-like to me. So it gave me the idea of having its energy act as a subtle pheromone to other Saiyans, much like with animals. VERY subtle, though. I didn't make it a prominent thing in the fic, though I think I intended to originally.**

 **Anyway, in order to make it comparable to Saiyan God in _some_ way, I gave it an arbitrary multiplier that I felt fit in this fic. I roughly determined the multipliers for Saiyan God and Super Saiyan God by the statement that SS3 (a 4x multiplier to SS2) Goku was 5% of Beerus' power, SG was 60% (12x SS3), and SSG was 70% or 80% (14x or 16x SS3). Leaning towards 70% since I haven't seen it to be vastly stronger despite how you'd think it should put him way above even Beerus since it's Saiyan God with Super Saiyan-enhanced power. Whether those statements are still canon or not is completely irrelevant to the fic. They're just the basis I used because they're at least something to go on.  
**

 **Ozaru = 10x Base**

 **Super Saiyan = 50x Base**

 **Super Saiyan 2 = 100x Base (x2 Multiplier)**

 **Super Saiyan 3 = 400x (4x Multiplier) (5% Beerus)**

 **True Super Saiyan = 3200x Base (8x Multiplier)**

 **Saiyan God = 4800x Base (60% Beerus)**

 **Super Saiyan God = 5600x Base (70% Beerus)**

 **I was tempted to go with 10x for "True Super Saiyan", since there's no official multiplier given, but I like 8 because it makes the multiplier constantly double (2x, 4x, 8x) and satisfies my OCD. But again, it's fast and loose with power levels, so these don't mean anything to the fic lol.**

 **Also I call the red form "Saiyan God" and the blue form "Super Saiyan God" because "Super Saiyan God Super Saiyan" sounds stupid af, and even "Super Saiyan Blue" is silly. It's like... what? Could I call Broly "Super Saiyan Green"? Or normal SSJ "Super Saiyan Yellow"? The red form shouldn't be SUPER Saiyan God because it's just Goku's base form with god ki. He's not in Super form. He's a Saiyan with god ki, or "Saiyan God", and the blue form is a Saiyan God in Super Saiyan form, or a "Super Saiyan God". So while I know the official names, those sound much much much much MUCH better. "Super Saiyan Blue" sounds better than SSGSS, but it still sounds undignified for a divine form such as that. Saiyan God and Super Saiyan God just sounds so much more natural and cooler, and apparently these fan names for them have existed before I thought of them. Just like "True Saiyan" or "Primal Saian" for SSJ4. Apparently those names just make so much more sense that many others have thought of them even though we all came up with those names on our own lol.**


	4. Chapter 4

**This chapter didn't take as long to touch up since it's short, so figured I'd release it today too. Actually I wrote the story in sections divided by these lines, so I'm kinda determining how to separate the chapters as I go. Anyway, enjoy!**

* * *

"WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAT!?"

Caulifla winced inwardly at Champa's response to her request as she stood before him. Was he a cat or a pig? That sounded more like a squeal than anything. And what was the big deal?

She folded her arms over her chest, or more in a manner that supported her breasts on top of them, eyeing the God of Destruction with annoyance at having to repeat herself, "Clean out your ears! I wanna go to Earth in Universe 7."

He made a noise that sounded like a cross between a grunt and a growl, regarding her with his own arms crossed and an eye squinted in displeasure. "Tch. I heard you the first time! But **why**!? Why would you wanna go to the universe of that..." He made a face as he thought about his _very_ similar lookalike (though he'd never admit it). "... that _sourpuss_!?"

 _'Says the sourpuss.'_ Caulifla deadpanned in her head. Right now his pot belly resembled an actual black pot to her as he rambled about his kettle "buddy".

The thought of Beerus alone was unpleasant enough for the shorter more stout version of the GoD of Universe 7. The fact that she wanted to go over there felt like a blow struck against him.

The Saiyan girl in question rolled her eyes at this "deity's" antics. Seriously, was this actually one of the revered Gods of Destruction? The way he carried himself as one made Beerus look like a symbol of perfection in comparison. Her eye twitched. She wasn't in the mood to be standing around waiting all night.

"I don't need a reason, do I? I already told Cabba and Kale that they won't have to cook for me anymore. If I have to go back there and disappoint them then the three of us are gonna come back here and skin you!" Toward the end her hands had shifted to her hips as she leaned over the shorter creature like he was just some rodent going through her trash.

How she managed to sound bored, annoyed, and full of fire at the same time was a talent none would fully comprehend, and of course that wasn't exactly how her goodbye had gone down with the other two. There had been more words and some tears shed (courtesy of Kale), but they understood and accepted why she wanted to leave home and travel to the universe of the man she'd spent most of the tournament engaging with.

Or, at least, the reason that they were _aware_ of. She _did_ have a thirst for greater power and a desire to learn how to master it. Even just his presence before had indirectly awakened her Super Saiyan 3 transformation, without him even being aware that she'd been there at all.

Somewhere deep in the back of her mind, she knew the reason why it had happened, and in that same part of her mind was the underlying reason why she wanted to go so far to see him.

She let out a soft silent gasp. There was that pang again. A sharp sensation that electrified her heart and caused her chest to tighten. She didn't let it show as she kept her intense glare on Champa until he cracked, not faltering for a second. Her heart rate fluttered a bit faster in anticipation for the answer she was _going_ to get from him.

One way or another. When she wanted something, she made sure she got it.

 _Whatever_ it was.

The target of her death stare began to sweat bullets as the young Saiyan girl continued her mental assault with determined piercing eyes. He made a hesitant quivering noise through gritted teeth before he finally clenched his eyes shut and shouted.

"VADOS!"

The female Saiyan raised an eyebrow and her attention was drawn to the hallway as a beautiful blue figure came into view. Yawning with a hand over her mouth, the angel's eyes were closed as she entered the chamber to regard the loud-mouthed god.

"Goodness, Lord Champa. Do you know what time it is? I was having such a good dream too." She let out another yawn before beginning to rub the sleep from her eyes. "I already got you an early midnight snack and a mid midnight snack. If you want a late one you're going to have to- Caulifla!"

The blue being perked up with a sudden cheer that replaced the grogginess in her eyes at the sight of the pretty flower of a Saiyan before her, enveloping the slightly-taken-aback girl in a firm friendly hug. Caulifla stiffened for a second at the initial contact, but returned the hug with a sigh that hid her smile.

Even the wild-tempered Saiyan couldn't find a reason to be annoyed at this sweet literal Angel. How she came to be paired with _Champa..._ Caulifla would never know. What could Vados of all people have done to deserve such cruel punishment?

 _'The existence of Champa proves there is no god.'_ The Saiyan girl mused in her head, aware of the irony of the thought.

Just as Caulifla had begun to get comfortable, the hug ended with Vados holding her at arms' length and a smile that eliminated all signs of sleepiness from her features.

"What brings you here?"

Caulifla was brought out of her unpleasant thoughts to give the Angel a blank stare for a second, before registering the question. A wicked cocky grin replaced her features as she turned her head toward the deity next to them.

"Yeah, Champa. Why am I here?" The Saiyan turned towards the little portly cat while crossing her arms accusingly, Vados having released her shoulders to turn to him as well. She knew Vados wouldn't say no to her, but for the trouble Champa was giving her before, she wanted _him_ to say it. She wanted to **make him squirm**.

And squirm he did. A sweatdrop formed on his head as he was suddenly put on the spot. For what it was worth, he kept his composure and hid his embarrassment pretty well, but he still cracked under the pressure, which is exactly what she wanted.

"Right! C-Caulifla and I were just talking about how fun it would be if she took a trip to..." He tried so hard not to sound like he was struggling to grind the words out as he continued, "... _Beerus'_ Earth."

The look of smug satisfaction decorated with that cocky grin of hers was just like the one Caulifla wore many times when fighting Goku.

* * *

"So, Caulifla..." Vados' voice broke the silence inside the little energy bubble they'd been using to travel through universe 7's vast space in. Really it hadn't been that silent, but Vados' voice had shifted to a curiosity that caught the Saiyan's attention as she shifted her gaze from the rapidly-passing stars to the Angel whose shoulder her hand was on.

"What's with the sudden interest in going to Earth in this universe? Not that I mean to pry, but it _must_ be pretty important, right?" Unlike Champa, Vados' tone was neither demanding nor challenging. Her question was filled with genuine curiosity which caused Caulifla to smile slightly as she looked back out at the stars - a smile that only grew when she pictured the reason in her head.

The face of a kind, powerful, moronic, _lovable_ idiot.

The smile on her face grew both cocky and sly.

"Let's just say I've got an itch that needs to be scratched."

* * *

 ***Insert sound of car screeching to a halt here***

Oh no no no no! You didn't think she was gonna get away with it _that_ easily, did you? That vague up-to-interpretation answer may have been enough for _some_ , but it only raised more questions for others, especially if that certain someone was a deity figure who had caught a glimpse of the images flashing through the Saiyan girl's mind, giving her a bit more context.

Caulifla was startled from her star-gazing at the sound of an audible gasp from the Angel next to her. A gasp of whimsical surprise as she eyed the spiky-haired girl mischievously.

A look that suddenly made Caulifla _very_ nervous. The sound of Vados' voice gave her an idea of what was about to happen.

"Oh you _temptress_!" There was a teasing emphasis on the word, but she knew the Angel had meant it. "I _knew_ something was up as I watched you two on the battlefield!"

Vados eyed the young girl next to her, taking her full form in. A twinge of red decorated the Saiyan's cheeks at the implications that Vados was making, her words creating a rather familiar _wonderful_ electric jolt to jumpstart her heart; a sensation she'd been experiencing a lot recently and would never get used to.

"He's not gonna stand a chance!" She emphasized with a wink and sly smirk that had matched Caulifla's own previously. One she wasn't wearing anymore as she stared silently into the cosmos with wider eyes. Looking _anywhere_ but the blue-skinned girl next to her right now.

She **absolutely** had _no_ idea what the Angel was talking about. Or at least her pride wasn't gonna allow her to admit it out loud to her. That would mean fully acknowledging it herself, and she was fine and content with _subconsciously_ acknowledging it for now.

The _only_ reason she didn't speak up in protest of Vados' **outrageous** assumptions - Caulifla defended to herself - was because she didn't trust her own voice at the moment.

... though that thought didn't help her case either.

* * *

 **I'll admit I don't know Vados' character all too well... at all, but I had a lot of fun when I wrote this bit and regret not using her much more. Up until now my writing style has been pretty much the same. It begins to get more wordy. Either I begin focusing on minute details more or I find less efficient ways to word things. If it's the former, hopefully you don't mind. You're already aware of it with the excerpt anyway I guess xP**

 **As for what's going on here, Caulifla already has feelings for Goku. She's either denying them or writing them off as feelings of wanting to get stronger, though you can see her entertaining her deeper feelings when she's not thinking too hard about it or they're not being brought up to her.**

 **Also can Angels see thoughts? If King Kai can talk telepathically with George Takei, then for this fic I'm gonna say yes lol.**

 **Not gonna lie, LightningBlade49, I kinda forgot about Hit while I was writing this part xD I guess after the harsh beating he took from Jiren, I could say he was in an even worse state maybe? It's been a while since I saw the episode but iIrc he really tired himself out. I could see Cabba doing it if it had been Vegeta lol.**

 **As for SS4 and U6 Saiyans... we'll have to see xP**


	5. Chapter 5

**Up to chapter 5 and now things start having more descriptive detail behind character actions. As such, there is actually a small detail I left out in this chapter. Or rather an action that's left out. Not intentionally at first, but when I realized I forgot to put it in, I decided to leave it out to use as a funny point a few chapters later.**

 **But can _you_ spot what that detail is before then?**

* * *

The serene sounds of birds chirping while waves crashed on the shoreline under a gentle ocean breeze created a perfect picture of paradise for a couple of islands just south of Kame House. That peace was abruptly interrupted when the clouds began to part and swirl over one of the larger islands. The wind picked up, chasing all wildlife away from the epicenter while causing the waves to become more violent under the darkening clouds.

White eyebrows twitched ominously, causing Master Roshi to turn and look out the window from his pink cottage home, shade-hidden eyes widening at the commotion in the distance.

"Eh!? You see that over there?" The old master beckoned toward Tien, who had been sitting and enjoying some tea with Roshi while the latter enjoyed some... aerobics lessons. He pointed out the window towards the vortex for the triclops, who approached him from behind to look out over the shorter man's head. His expression turned to one of bewilderment as he made a sound akin to a gasp.

"Master, what _is_ that?" If he didn't know any better, he'd say-

"Either a storm's coming or Vegeta got chewed out by Bulma again." The old man finished Tien's thought with a wizened voice.

Except... Tien sweatdropped, _'That... wasn't what I was thinking...'_

"Neither was I." Said the old man, as if reading Tien's thoughts. With wide-eyed shock, Tien turned his gaze back over to the aerobics program on the TV in realization, followed by a sharp "Hah!" laugh from Roshi.

Back with the island, it looked as if lightning was about to start striking from the heavens itself, which is close to what happened when a pinkish ray of light shined down from center of the violent vortex; A small sphere of more condensed energy descending down the path of light from above before touching down on the lush grass.

The energy dissipated as the storm ceased, allowing two pairs of feminine legs to drop and make graceful contact with the ground below, one adorned with a pair of baggy purple harem pants belonging to a certain spiky-haired Saiyan.

The girl stepped forward, closing her eyes as a small smile crept its way across her lips at the feel of the gentle breeze that tickled her skin and played with her hair, lifting a slender arm to comb her fingers through her dark tresses and lift one of her bangs from her face.

 _'So this is Earth...'_ She sighed before tilting her head back and breathing in the scent of the crisp ocean air. It was different from her home of Sadala. The sky was more soothing and the air smelled much nicer. Yet everything was similar enough - she mused - _if_... _**IF**_ she wanted to call this place "home".

Such a gentle and carefree planet. _'No wonder he lives here.'_ Just like hi-

"Enjoying yourself?" Came the curiously delighted voice of Vados a little closer to the Saiyan's ear than she expected, which made her jump out of her thoughts in a visible startle. "I tried to pick a nice place to land for you. It's all about first impressions!" She clasped her hands together in contagious wonder, and the Saiyan girl - who had just felt like she was about to have a heart attack - couldn't help but feel her smile spread as she nodded in response.

Looking down, she stepped back to kick off her shoes and pinch the grass between her toes.

It felt just like Sadala. She could get used to this.

Her sharp yet strangely gentle gaze turned back up towards Vados just as the girl began to speak. "Alright! Mission accomplished. One princess delivered to her prince safe and sound! I'm gonna get going now. Just remember that if you ever wanna come back home, you just need to find Lord Beerus or my little brother. Ok?" She paused, if it could be considered a pause, while waving. "Toodles! Show no mercy, girl!"

And with that, she had vanished before the stunned Saiyan girl could retort. Her gentle visage having completely deteriorated as she stared blinkless with her mouth slightly agape at where the Angel previously stood. The heat in her face had grown so intense during that entire farewell that she was actually glad Vados wasn't still here to see it.

 _'Th-that woman!'_ She seemed to have a very special ability to make Calulifla's heart skip a beat whenever she talked... well, whenever she'd bring up a _certain someone_...

She took a calming breath as she allowed her face to cool down. Vados was right, though. Goku was here. Now all she had to do was find him.

She turned on her heels and crouched down to spring herself into the air, taking a flying leap over towards the shoreline to land with a flip, where she knelt down to splash some cold water in her face for good measure. Her eyes were squinted shut as the cool liquid soothed her, before bringing herself to her feet while flipping her head back, shaking the water from her hair while the breeze dried her face.

"And now the hunt begins!" She opened her eyes to the sky with a half grin, likening herself to a cat stalking a mouse.

She blinked.

... _stalking_? No. That's not what this was at all! Well, maybe sort of...

But, he _had_ agreed to show her how to become a blue Super Saiyan too!

Not to mention those other... _alluring_ forms of power he was hiding within him.

Images of the other Saiyan appeared in her mind; The confident cocky expression he wore as a Super Saiyan and Super Saiyan 2 when they fought; When he had fought as Super Saiyan God and fought Jiren with his newly-awakened Ultra Instinct for the first time; The ferocious onslaught he unleashed on Frieza as a Super Saiyan 3; The immense power and near animalistic feelings she'd felt in his golden-eyed form...

 _-"Oh how I've **waited** for this moment for so long!"-_

Eyes shooting open, Caulifla was broken from her thoughts with a sharp pained gasp as she fell to one knee and clutched her chest with one hand while the other steadied herself; The image of Frieza holding Goku by the throat surfacing in her head.

That tight electric pang had returned, but this was not a pleasant one. She felt her heart begin to pound at the memory.

 _'Relax! You saw him. He's ok. That idiot doesn't know how to die...'_ But she could still feel herself shaking slightly. Never in her life did she have to deal with the threat of a powerful malicious force like Frieza. She had felt so helpless, so...

Her eyes sharpened with a resolve to match her temper, standing up while tightening every muscle in her body to will the shaking away.

It wasn't weak to be scared. The fear only drove her want to grow stronger. Strong enough to handle herself... strong enough to protect-

"Hm?" The young Saiyan was brought out of her thoughts by the presence of two above-average power levels not far off in the distance. Her body had stopped its shaking as she turned in the direction her senses were pointing her to.

Her brows furrowed and she bit her lip slightly in concentration. _'Those are **way** too low to be Goku.'_ There was no way anyone with that power level could go toe-to-toe with Jiren, or her for that matter.

But then a thought struck her which caused her features to soften. "... or is he suppressing his power level?" If he didn't wanna be found for some reason, he could certainly do that.

But then...

A cloud of sand was all that was left where she stood, having kicked off from the shore at a breakneck pace towards the small pink house on an equally small island she could see in the distance.

 _'Unless he's still hurt, idiot! It's only been a few hours!'_ Hair whipping around wildly in the air as she approached Kame House. She knew the thought was silly. Whis had taken him back and would've surely made sure everything was ok.

But still... maybe she wanted to check on him too? That wasn't so wrong, was it? After all, it _was_ all the result of a wish he'd made for her sake. Well... everyone's sake, but... semantics.

It hadn't taken long for her to touch down in front of their porch.

She wasn't above being selfish.

* * *

They definitely didn't make Earth doors like they did on Sadala.

That became _very_ apparent to the girl when, after just 2 knocks (that were maybe a bit _too_ urgent and firm), the door flew off its hinges, smacking straight into the unsuspecting face of one lecherous old hermit who had only just turned his head from his "program" at the first knock.

All that could be seen of him were his legs sticking out from the debris that was once his table, next to a wide three-eyed Tien, unsure of whether to keep his guarded attention on her or on the poor master she very possibly had just killed.

"Ugh... Did I just finish?"

If Roshi had, Caulifla wasn't impressed. These two weren't exactly who she was hoping for. She'd almost mused that even a half-dead Goku would've been better. Still, they did look familiar.

Tien let out a relieved breath he didn't know he'd been holding as he moved to help the turtle hermit out of the mess that this... familiar girl had made. That's when Tien started at her with a gasp, "You! You're that-".

"That kick-ass Saiyan from the tournament? Yeah that's me!" A proud grin painted her features as she folded her arms, accentuating her breasts on top of them. "I remember seeing you guys on Team Universe 7 with Goku.." Her features softened a little with her grin all but vanishing, and her voice grew more quiet. "... where is he? I can't sense him..."

Master Roshi had time to recover and size her up as she spoke. Yep it was her, alright. She'd been a feisty one. Couldn't keep her hands off Goku during the tournament, though she'd also meant him the least harm.

And she was quiet a looker too. Her outfit didn't leave much to the imagination, of which Master Roshi had in spades. Only years of mental and physical training allowed him to hold back an impending nosebleed of this magnitude.

 _'Blunt and straight to the point, she is.'_ His brow twitched in thought. _'Something changed when she mentioned Goku, though.'_ The old man made a frustrated shout in his mind. _'Gah! Why does Goku attract all the babes!? The guy's as dense as his own muscles and yet he's had more women after him than big bad villains!'_

"Sorry sweetheart, but I don't know." He managed to keep his outward composure at least, noticing the frown that appeared on her features. _'Keep it together, Roshi.'_ He took a breath before sighing. "He stayed behind while the rest of us returned home, obviously to wish everyone who'd been erased back." He nodded solemnly to her, being proof of what he'd assumed, "He said he'd be right behind us - boy never was one to turn down a big feast - but by the time it was over and we all left, he never returned."

The look on her face now seemed... heartbroken. Like she'd lost something dear. _Damn_ Goku was a lucky guy. Her arms had slowly fallen to her sides as he spoke. As jealous as he was, Roshi knew full well he was far too old, and he couldn't bear to see such a pained expression mar such a pretty face.

With another larger breath, the old master let out an even bigger sigh. "However..." He paused to gauge her reaction; That one word predictably perking her up noticeably. "It's possible that he could've returned between last night and this morning. He tends to pop in and out wherever he pleases."

That did sound like him.

"As for why you can't sense him..." His words brought her attention back to him, crossing her arms under her breasts again, which made Roshi pause to strengthen the capillaries in his nose. "That's pretty normal too. He usually keeps his power hidden because it tends to attract a lot of extremely powerful and equally-nasty characters."

He could've sworn he saw her shiver. Her crossed arms had tightened as if to subtly hug herself when the image of Frieza resurfaced again. Doing her best to hide it, she quickly nodded to the old man in silent thanks for his honesty.

"If he was here... do you know where he could be now?" She mentally slapped herself at her tone, _'Nice job, Cauli! "do you know where he could be now"? What kind of voice was that!?'_ She hadn't meant for that to sound so hopeful or... timid.

 _'Yeah. I know that look.'_ Master Roshi stared the young girl down, leaving her question hanging in the air as he studied her features, before finally relenting with a huff that came out as more of a sigh.

"Look. I'm not sure what you want Goku for, and I'm not gonna ask. He often doesn't have the time to be there, but he has a home in the mountains just west of here." He gave a moment to let the information sink in, gauging her reaction. He had her full attention now.

"He's not always there, but he does have a family to return to. You know... a son..." He gave her another knowing look, locking eyes with her behind his sunglasses, "A _wife_."

Her eyes narrowed ever so slightly and her body non-visibly tensed as if to guard herself from the knife he'd tried to use that word to cut her with. He'd made sure to put noticeable emphasis on it, of that she was well-aware.

 _'What the hell does he take me for?! I can't want to see Goku for **any** other reason!?'_

And yet there was that _unpleasant_ heart-clenching feeling in her chest again. That electric pang that was the exact same as others that she'd enjoyed. Amazing how two identical sensations can feel so different.

She decided to just ignore that last bit altogether, not allowing the old man or triclops to see how it affected her one way or the other.

"Somewhere in the mountains?" She gestured in the direction he'd pointed to earlier, before looking back to him with her trademark cocky smirk.

"Thanks old man! I'll remember not to kill you later!" She'd shouted that last bit with a wink after she'd turned around and all but bolted out the front door...way before taking off, leaving a cloud of sand to blow in through the busted door frame.

Silence permeated the air as the sand settled.

"Uh... master?"

Roshi nodded solemnly in response, followed by a loud, slow sigh.

"Hmm... Yep."

His nose then promptly exploded.

* * *

 **Ok, if I had fun with the last one, I had a blast with this chapter. For Roshi I kinda embraced the TFS Roshi a bit. And if that bit when he said "Neither was I." confused you, don't worry. I almost forgot what I meant by it too.**

 **Roshi was basically breaking the 4th wall by literally reading Tien's thought. So when Tien thought 'That's not what I was thinking...', Roshi gave that answer because while he was _talking_ about the storm, he was _thinking_ about the TV program. So yeah... that's the joke. lol**

 **This is where things get a bit more descriptive, but still not overly. I have to admit I think it was junglecookies who gave me the idea for this interaction since there was a similar one in their Ascending fic. Here is where Caulifla begins showing her more tentative gentle side, since she's normally kinda brash and abrasive. I had already started her off less like that, but she's also being affected and pushed by that encounter with Frieza.  
**

 **And a little bit by Vados mwahahaha!**


	6. Chapter 6

**All I'll say is, if you're not a fan of Chi-Chi and Goku's relationship, you'll probably like this.**

 **If you are... well first off kudos for reading this far into a Goku x literallyanyonebutChi-Chi fic. Second... I could've been meaner. After reading other fics that don't pair Goku with Chi-Chi and seeing what they did to her character, I REALLY could've been meaner.  
**

* * *

It was evening for the household of one Son Goku. The sun had begun to set just enough to be able to peer inside the window to see the figure of Chi-Chi with her back turned as she was finishing up the dishes from the supper they'd just had.

A supper, once again, without Goku.

Off in the distance, a small lithe figure could be seen approaching the little hut from high in the sky. The light emanating from the structure attracted her like a moth to a flame. There was an above-average power level inside and no other signs of life within sight from Caulifla's vantage point.

This _had_ to be the place!

Coming to a stop, she began her slow descent toward the front yard below, feeling her heart rate _increasing_ as her distance from the ground _decreased_.

 _'Relax. This isn't a huge deal. There's no reason to get worked up!'_

Was she trying to remind herself, or convince herself?

And was this at the thought of meeting Goku or...

"... his wife..." Having touched down on the soft grass below, the Saiyan flower watched the woman through the window. Catching a glimpse of her face when she'd turn to the man she'd recognized as Gohan from the tournament - who stopped by with Videl for dinner - she noted the woman was quite pretty. She didn't have a bad figure either.

She guessed she could see why Goku would pick her as a mate, even if she was just a human...

She promptly closed her eyes as she shook her head. "Where the hell did _that_ come from?" Aaaaand so much for keeping that heart rate in check.

At least she now knew it was _definitely_ his wife that had worked her up. _Why_ it was his wife, she didn't want to think about that at the moment. Nor did she have to. The sound of the woman and her son's voices brought her out of her thoughts.

It might've been wrong, but she couldn't help but to take a single unconscious step forward, wanting for some reason to hear what they were saying...

"This is the second night since that tournament and your father still hasn't returned home!" Another dish was added to the pile as Chi-Chi continued her work without missing a beat. She wasn't yelling, but it could be heard in her tone.

She must've been worried, Caulifla assumed. The Saiyan girl wore a despondent look as she stopped a few feet from the window. His family hadn't seen him either? He... he _had_ to be ok. Whis took him home. She saw it!

"I'm sure he has a good reason." Replied her son as he handed her another plate. "You know dad. He's not one to pass up a huge feast so he can stay behind in another realm just for a chuckle."

"It's not just _now_ , Gohan!" The older woman snapped as she turned towards him, ignoring the dishes. Even the female Saiyan flinched at the sudden near-screech she'd made. "All the other times he's abandoned us too!"

The younger man's face lit up with an anger Caulifla was all too familiar with. " _All_ of them had good reasons!" He all but shouted as he tried to keep his voice in check, which Chi-Chi rose to match it. "Really, Gohan? Like the time he left us for an entire year, and then later left me to raise you and Goten alone for **seven**!?"

"He was **_dead_** , mom!" The son's words, more than the outburst itself, shook Caulifla into a wide-eyed stare while he roared back. "Or have you forgotten when he saved me and _the entire planet_?"

Figures Goku would do something as reckless as that. The girl let out a chortled sigh after she'd recovered from her shock. This gave her a better picture of what Master Roshi had said before, about him hiding his power level to avoid unwanted attention. These were threats that she never had to deal with. It was something new to her.

A silent sharp intake of breath filled her lungs through her nose. _'Does that mean he's...'_ Had Goku, the man who'd knocked her through more large pieces of rubble than she could count, been dead this _entire_ time? She shook herself out of that M. Night Shyamalan thought.

 _'There's no way in hell. Gohan, was it? He said Goku **was** dead.'_ She still had no idea how it worked. How could you be dead and then... not? Had she not seen that horrible scene with Frieza for herself, she'd have assumed the man didn't know _how_ to die. It wasn't gonna happen again. She was gonna make sure that-

"FOR SEVEN YEARS, GOHAN!?" A yell that could rival Goku's whenever he'd turn Super Saiyan 3 interrupted Caulifla's thought. Chi-Chi looked absolutely furious as she leaned over toward her mentor's son (Oh he was _definitely_ her mentor even if he didn't know it yet. She'd long since decided). "HE COULD'VE COME BACK AT ANY TIME AND YET HE **CHOSE** TO STAY DEAD AND LEAVE ME ALONE TO LOOK AFTER YOU TWO!"

Chi-Chi was shaking with anger and frustration, looking like she was about to turn Super Saiyan herself at any moment. Maybe she _was_ a Saiyan. Gohan wasn't using any power that Caulifla had seen at the tournament to stand up to the woman. If they were on Sadala... she'd never let a human talk like this to her.

Especially not when they were badmouthing her Goku.

Wide eyes blinked above now-reddened cheeks.

... **mentor**! She meant her _mentor_.

Freudian slips of the mind are much harder to avoid than ones of the tongue. At least no one else could hear them, but the damage had been done, as the one person who'd heard it could practically feel steam rising from her face.

"AND DO YOU KNOW **WHY** HE CHOSE NOT TO COME BACK?" Gohan's voice came back at the woman with equal ferocity, causing even Chi-Chi to pause and thankfully breaking Caulifla from her thoughts. But then...

She hadn't considered what they'd said before. Goku chose to remain dead? That was a choice that could even be made? But _why_?

She assumed (i.e. _hoped_ ) that Gohan was going to follow up with something like _"To get away from you, you ungrateful bitch!"_ \- Caulifla might've been projecting a bit of her own thoughts in there - and so wasn't prepared for what came next.

Gohan had lowered his voice, but it still held the same firmness and anger, "I'll tell you why." He paused to close his eyes with a sigh, trying to keep his voice in check as he reopened them to continue. "He did it to _protect_ us, mom. He gave up being able to be with his friends and family out of concern for us, because he felt that his presence was drawing too much danger to everyone."

His voice was starting to shake as he thought about his own words, memories of the past flooding in. He remembered what it had been like those seven years without his father. He hated it. He could've hated his dad for doing it, but instead hated _why_ he felt the need to do it. And here his mom was, pretty much just dismissing it!

The feeling was apparently infectious, as Caulifla felt her own eyes begin to sting from his words and the emotion behind them as he continued, "Do you think he honestly _wanted_ to be away from us?" Another pause. Gohan was fighting to keep his voice steady. "He died for me... us _twice_. If he really didn't care, we'd all be dead right now." He gave his mom a harder look.

"All the studying in the world wouldn't have saved us, or brought us back." Those words seemed to cut through the older woman, who took a small step back. Chi-Chi relented, but she wasn't going to back down. It didn't change her feelings.

"And guess what? _Nothing_ happened in those seven years. All of that time was wasted. Those seven years... all they did was broke my heart, Gohan."

Her voice sounded... defeated? Like she'd given up. But her words seemed to hit Gohan harder than when she'd been all but screaming.

The silence seemed to drag on for an eternity as her mentor's son just stared at Chi-Chi.

"... what are you saying..?" His question came out slowly and carefully, as if asking otherwise would either shatter himself or the woman in front of him into countless pieces.

"Gohan..." Chi-Chi's voice broke the next pause of silence just as carefully, before shattering him completely.

"... I can't do this anymore."

Instead of Gohan, it was Caulifla who took a step back from those words. A hand rose to her chest when that pesky pang returned to jolt her heart. It felt like the bad kind but at the same time felt... good?

"'Can't do this anymore'? Can't ' _do this_ ' anymore?! Mom, do you realize what you're saying?!" Gohan's voice held a mix of pain, disbelief, anger, and so many other emotions as he stared at her, feeling his world beginning to collapse.

"I know, Gohan." Chi-Chi continued to keep her cool, like a facade had been dropped, revealing the woman's true feelings beneath. "I married a fighter. It was my fault. I loved your father, and I still do." Blinking slowly, she continued, "I loved the fighter in him, but when I settled down... he didn't."

Videl had come into the kitchen when the shouting had begun, opting to stand silently next to Gohan with a hand in his for support, not wanting to get directly involved between them. He squeezed her hand back as his mom continued.

"This isn't what I wanted for you or Goten." Before he could retort with an obvious 'But it's what _we_ wanted', she beat him to the punch, "And it's not what I wanted _for me_."

Videl could feel Gohan's hand trembling in her own, doing her best to soothe him by brushing her thumb across the back of it. It seemed to be the only thing giving him the strength to continue this conversation.

"But mom, he's-"

"He's still your father, Gohan. I know." Chi-Chi cut him off. A gentleness had at least returned to her voice as she regarded her own son. "You and Goten both. I still love him too. He's kind. He's brave. He's selfless. He's saved the planet many times..." The older woman trailed off before closing her eyes with a pause.

"But that comes at a cost. He's not a family man... which is what I need." Gohan looked like he'd about heard enough, but she continued. "I was attracted to the strong fighter he was back then. I was young and wasn't thinking far ahead. I guess I thought he would change. But as I changed, and so did my needs..." She shook her head with a sad sigh and opened her eyes.

"... he didn't."

 _'That bitch! How can she treat her mate- Goku like that?!'_ As far as the Saiyan girl was concerned, this woman didn't deserve to occupy the same planet as him, let alone the same house. No wonder he was never home.

"If I were his mate, I would never-" Caulifla gasped and covered her mouth as the words escaped her lips before she had time to think about them. She _was_ being honest. She would never do something like that...

... to _him_. Where had that thought come from?

A shiver ran through her body as she felt something cold run down her cheek. She rose a tentative finger to brush away the offending sensation, staring in disbelief at the tear that decorated her digit.

She hadn't even noticed when she started crying.

She made a small sound when she heard Gohan and Videl bid Chi-Chi goodbye just behind the front door, which broke her from her thoughts. Wiping her eyes, she took off backwards in a panicked hurry just before the door opened for the two to walk out without saying another word.

The young Saiyan girl flew through the air at a feverish pace. She didn't know where she was headed, except that it was away from **there**.

Like Goku (she assumed/declared to herself), she had no desire to return to that decidedly awful place.

Yet somewhere deep-yet-not-so-deep-down-anymore, she actually felt... relieved. It was as if a weight had been lifted from her heart; the subtle sensation of an obstacle being removed from her path.

... a path to what? Power? Or a path to...

The haunting image of Frieza holding him tore through her mind again, followed by that stupid, weak, nonchalant, _captivating_ smile the Saiyan had flashed before disappearing from her.

She gave a final hard sniff as she wiped the last bit of moisture from her piercing determined gaze and continued her search. Only one thing on her mind.

"...idiot."

* * *

She'd lost track of how much time had passed since she'd left that _house_ (that was no home to her). All she knew, as she began to tire and slow down in her flight, was that night had fallen around her.

The sky was beautiful even now too. Perhaps even more than it had been during the day. She had been flying over a large forest area when she spotted a nice little clearing below. The idea of stopping for a rest sounded _very_ nice right about now. It's not like she was currently getting anywhere anyway.

She touched down on the soft grass below with even softer footsteps, taking in her surroundings before letting out a tired yet frustrated growl as her hands found her hips.

"This is useless! I'm never gonna find him like this!" She crossed her arms over her chest with a glower on her face. "I'd have put a tracker on him with one of my punches if I'd known he'd be _this_ hard to find."

That last remark would've been an exaggeration, but she knew if she'd had one with her at the time, she'd have done just that. She lifted a leg to tap her foot against the ground in thought, before doing the same with the other as she tried in vain to come up with a solution.

All that came up was an even more frustrated growl, "It's not like I could go blow up a city or something to get his attention..."

No, but coincidentally a rustling from behind, followed by a rough unnatural voice of "I could help with that.", had caught her attention.

Her senses were suddenly on high alert as she spun around in time to see a blur rushing towards her.

And all she knew was darkness.

* * *

 **Aaaand _another_ cliffhanger. Sorry xP Don't feel too ruffled if you want some Goku x Caulifla stuff. This isn't a fic with a whole lot of big enemy plots or conflicts. Imo the biggest one was with Frieza, followed by the one with Ch-Chi. All in all, I was pretty nice to her. Tbh, I could see Chi-Chi doing this based on past behavior/traits, and of all the ways she could be removed from being in a relationship with Goku, this makes her not seem like a total bitch (I could've had her cheat on Goku, for one thing). Not only does writing it like this lazily avoid me having _too_ much conflict to deal with, but it's also a little trick I call "not having an affair" lol. It's not over exactly, but it makes it easier for one spouse to let go when the other one already has.**

 **This also serves to give Caulifla a little bit of background of Goku and help reinforce what feelings she has. Thinking back on it, the two times he died in DBZ were both intentional sacrifices. He wasn't killed by a stronger opponent in failure to defeat them. He allowed himself to die to protect the people he cared about. Then again, as Tien from TFS so accurately pointed out:**

 **"Why do you care? Why do _any_ of you care? Are you forgetting the _whole_ reason they went to Namek in the first place? Now we have TWO sets of Dragon Balls. [Death] really doesn't [have any consequence]. We're literally waiting to go back. Hell this is Chiaotzu's second time."**

 **It's hard for death to really have any weight of consequence unless you kinda forget about the Dragon Balls. My excuse is that Caulifla's not all too familiar with the entire concept, so she has more of a reason to care xP**


	7. Chapter 7

**So it looks like in Super, all the universes have been restored! Who could've _possibly_ seen that coming? xP And Goku can't use Ultra Instinct. Guess that's convenient for this story. But Caulifla has Cabba teaching them Super Saiyan 3 instead of Goku, who actually achieved it and had shown her quite a few things in the tournament :/ Maybe she'll challenge him later after she's gotten SS3? Anyway, speaking of Cabba. Most of you are probably Goku x Caulifla fans if you're reading this, but upplet has started a Cabba x Caulifla fic called "Surging Senses". It's pretty good, if you wanna check it out, and that's coming from someone who's not a fan of the pairing.**

 **Again sorry to leave off on a cliffhanger last chapter. Maybe chapter 7 here will fix things? Who knows?**

 **Well, I know, but... you're probably already reading below to find out lol.**

* * *

The Lookout, and by extension Korin Tower, was usually a beacon of peace, tranquility, serenity, safety, and most of all... quiet. That, however, was not the case for this fine morning. The little white cat that the tower had been named after watched in bewilderment at a revitalized Goku who was bouncing up and down in front of him, full of renewed strength and a lot of "Woohoo!"s.

"You know, Goku. _Every time_ I see you, it's to give you another Senzu Bean to drag you off of death's doorstep." Korin shook his stick in the Saiyan's direction with an admonishing tone. "You really need to find yourself a better hobby than pissing off evil super beings. Maybe then you'll start stopping by for some tea instead."

The orange warrior stopped his bouncing to give the cat a loud genuine laugh as he rubbed the back of his head, a "no worries" smile on his face. "Ahahaha! Yeah, maybe you're right, Korin. I've had enough life-threatening battles to last a lifetime... and that's _with_ the Dragon Balls!"

His tone became just the slightest bit more serious, though still wore that lighthearted expression. "But if I took you up on that tea date, then trouble would just invite itself over with me. I doubt you'd want that..." Goku trailed off, before a sly uncharacteristic smirk crossed his features.

"Unless~" The Saiyan let the word drag out just long enough to catch the cat's attention. "You want _me_ to train you for a change. Then the two of us could fight them _together_!"

His proposal had the desired effect as he watched the already-white cat seem to pale and make a sound, stammering his response. "N-now, now. Wait a minute, Goku! I was only kidding. I think you're much more suited for that than me." He calmed down with a grumbled sigh. "Way to call my bluff, kid."

Goku could only snicker at the feline's response while waving a hand at him and pressing on. "Nah, I think you'd do fine!" He then leaned in with a hand cupping his mouth as if to whisper "Especially if they're allergic to cats."

The grin of the Saiyan's face told Korin all he needed to know.

"Ha ha. Very funny, Goku. So what's next for you now that this whole battle for the universe #Idon'tknowwhatnumberwe'reatanymore is over?" The cat's curious question brought a pensive look to Goku's face as he folded his arms in thought.

A soft hum escaped through his nose with a few answers dancing in his mind. "Hmm. I should go home to see Goten and Chi-Chi first. Everyone's probably worried and lord knows what Chi-Chi would do to me if I don't." A frown had grown on his face, which was quickly replaced with a smile and mock panic.

"She'd probably pull dinner away from me, and then I'd be in worse shape than when I showed up here!" He waved his arms for emphasis, and it was hard to tell if he was kidding or being absolutely serious.

Hard to tell for some, but Korin knew the answer. _'I'm sure she could probably do worse...'_ Was his solemn thought as he nodded toward the Saiyan. Though with Goku's infectious attitude. it was at least hard to feel downcast even if one didn't quite share his enthusiasm.

It was one of the many good traits about him. He'd proven many times that hope always existed, no matter the place or circumstance.

There was never a reason not to keep fighting. It's what he did best. Korin's attention was brought from his thoughts back to Goku as he caught the latter half of his farewell.

"... I wasn't exactly kidding about Chi-Chi. She can be scarier and deadlier than Frieza-"

Korin laughed inwardly. He had no objection to that comparison, or joke, though a certain spiky-haired girl might have had some strong objections involving the terms "idiot", "moron", "dummy", or something to that effect.

"I'll make sure the next time I come to visit you, it'll be for that tea. Promise." Goku then gave his trademark salute to the cat, who waved back in response, before taking off in the direction of his home.

"Later, Korin! Start the kettle right away!"

Korin stood in silence after the whistle of Goku's flight died down, staring off into the horizon. After about a minute, the cat let out a knowing extended grunt.

"Bullshit."

* * *

Cool crisp morning air combed through Goku's palm tree-like locks as he bolted through the sky towards his long-but-not-forgotten home. The goofy smile he'd had before was a more urgent worried expression in contemplation of his impending future.

 _'Not for nothing, but I wasn't entirely joking about Chi-Chi before. I'd better step on it. It's already been two nights and I'm probably in hot water as it is!'_

He closed his eyes while he flew, a small smile returning to his features. "It was worth it, though." The faces of everyone he'd fought, everyone who'd been erased, and everyone who'd been brought back appearing in his mind. Particularly...

A sudden gasp brought Goku to a screeching halt; Eyes widened in an almost panicked state as he seemed to frantically survey the nearby area below, vision darting back and forth.

Something felt wrong! Below him he could sense a faint, albeit familiar power level; One he sword he'd felt... He shook his head while combing his vision between every tree from his position, growling in frustration.

"Argh! It's no good. I can't see anything from up here!" The energy didn't just feel faint. It felt weak. _'I can't just let it go!'_ When he began to descend into the forest below, he finally caught a glimpse of something bright and very out-of-place in a clearing a bit further off.

With the sound of rushing air, the space he'd been occupying was empty in an instant.

Through the blur of his own speed, distinct shades of purple and pink became more pronounced to Goku as he approached the particular source of power. If it had looked familiar to him before, he _definitely_ knew he recognized the mess of wild spiky hair.

Distinct spiky hair that had made itself at home in his mind ever since the tournament.

"Caulifla!?" He remembered her name well, especially with it being all he'd heard from Champa while he had fought her. She had been loud, brash, and full of life and passion. But now...

The male Saiyan landed in a skid before coming to a stop next to her, leaving a long trail of dust and ruptured grass behind him. She'd been lying on her stomach with her arms laid out in front of her head, and upon placing a hand on her shoulder to turn her over...

 _'No! This isn't good... she's ice cold!'_ He had her resting on one of his knees as he looked her over. Strong hands squeezed and roamed over smooth cold skin as he checked for any broken bones. She seemed fine physically, at least. What was she doing all the way out here?!

Worried eyes scanned over her calm, seemingly peaceful features as she slept. It was very different from the girl whose fists he'd been acquainted with many times on the battlefield.

She reminded him of an angel right now.

An angel for, whatever reason, was lying unconscious in a forest on a planet outside of her universe with an almost nonexistent energy signature compared to what she'd had before.

Goku's brow furrowed as he moved a hand to delicately brush a bang away from her sleeping features. _'... what happened to you?'_

The male Saiyan's features hardened as he scooped the slender girl up in his arms while he stood, holding her bridal style with her head cradled against both his arm and his chest. "Action first, questions later, Goku! _"_ His firm yet gentle hold on her small frame tightened before taking off with enough force to blow all the leaves off of the nearby trees.

It looks like Korin was right, after all. The next time Goku would return wouldn't be for tea. That cat loved to be right, so this would certainly make his day.

* * *

 **See? Look! No harm done! No malicious kidnapping. She's still alive. All is well. They finally meet up ^_^**

 **And here you can get a better look at Goku's thoughts and feelings towards Chi-Chi's actions, to where other characters agree.**

 **Also the # isn't supposed to be a twitter hashtag. Here it just means number xP**


	8. Chapter 8

**With chapter 8 begins the cuteness and fluff many (including myself) were probably craving from these two. If I laid it on a bit thick... that just means more fluff to save for later x)**

* * *

Goku never did make it back to Korin Tower.

If he'd been breaking speed limits on his way home before, he was sure the entire universe's police would be after him for how fast he was traveling now. His eyes almost stung against the icy wind that licked his face.

He wasn't just concerned, but _scared_ of what could happen if he was too late.

Contrary to Goku, Caulifla was having a _very_ pleasant dream at the moment. Something akin to what she'd assumed heaven to feel like. It was a paradise where she was free to be completely honest and open with her feelings, and those feelings were-

 _'Warm...'_ That was the now softly-smiling Saiyan girl's first conscious thought as she snuggled into the warm embrace of a _certain someone_ in her dream, only...

Wait. This felt... _real_?

Caulifla began to stir ever-so-slowly and ever-so-slightly to where Goku hadn't noticed. Her soft feminine features scrunched together weakly as she struggled to open her eyes.

As they did, the blurry image of a very familiar - and strangely heart-pounding - face came into her vision.

"Go...ku..?" Her voice was so soft and weak, he hadn't heard it. Was that really _her_ voice?

A few agonizingly long seconds later, her eyes were able to finally focus, and quickly widen, upon seeing the clear image of his face. That familiar wonderful jolt in her chest was all the jumpstart she needed for what happened next.

A sharp feminine gasp brought the Saiyan out of his tunnel vision focus.

"GOKU!"

He looked down just in time to see a mess of spiky hair pounce at him (as much as she could pounce from that position), letting out a surprised gasp of his own as the small girl's arms wrapped around his chest and held him _tight_.

So caught off-guard was he that he had promptly lost control of his flight and fell toward the ground below. In an instant he had flipped himself on his back instinctively and wrapped a pair of protective arms around her slender frame while she clung to him as his back carved a deep path from where it had made contact with the dirt and rock, all the way to where he finally stopped.

A good hundred meters away.

Both Goku's eyes and teeth were clenched while he grunted and trembled slightly in pain. That was one attack he was _not_ prepared for. He opened an eye to look down at the girl in his arms. She was clutching the sides of his gi and the side of her face was pressed against his chest. Her eyes were clenched shut and it was hard to tell if her expression was happy or scared.

He assumed she was scared due to what just happened, when in actuality it was both.

Aaaand she actually hadn't even noticed that they'd hit the ground.

"Geez, Cauli. Warn a guy next time, alright?" He wheezed his admonishment with a lighthearted tone, followed by an equal chuckle, gently rubbing a hand up and down her back in an attempt to get her to relax.

At least he knew she was ok. Her skin felt warmer now too.

The gentle sound of his voice snapped her out of her reverie, and she would've opened her eyes and lifted herself to regard the Saiyan under her, only... his _touch_.

A sigh escaped through her nose while a shiver crawled its way down her spine from that agonizing, awful, _wonderful_ thing he was doing right now. The way his fingers traced up and down the contours of her spine...

That electric sensation in her heart wouldn't go away now, and she didn't want it to.

Goku's eyes widened and he stared at the girl on top of him with a slight twinge of pink on his cheeks. He was trying to soothe her and coax her into getting up, and instead she seemed to only arch her back slightly and nuzzle into him more, to the point where her entire body was practically molded against his.

Head to chest, chest to stomach, hip nearly to hip, legs tangled with legs...

And had that been a sigh, or a _moan_ that escaped her before?

He was gonna need a _very_ cold soak after this, was his thought while passing off her actions for just being... tired? Yeah. Tired. That had to be it. He'd behaved similarly intimate with his bed many a sleepy morning.

Only... he _wasn't_ a bed.

However, if she didn't stop, she was going to feel a _spring_ pop up very s-

"Cauli?" Goku all but choked out in a near desperate plea. Her... erotic actions had caused his body to go rigid under her, which in turn ceased the movements of his hand on her back.

That, combined with the sound of his voice, brought the "cozy" female Saiyan back to her senses, though she did not dare lift her face right away due to the very dark crimson blush that was currently threatening to burn a hole through his gi.

 _ **-** "It's all about first impressions!" **-**_ The cheery voice of Vados suddenly rang through her mind.

Yeah. She really nailed this one. _'Way to fucking go, Cauli.'_ _  
_

Caulifla felt Goku shift under her. As much as she wanted- no, **wouldn't mind** to stay like this, she knew she had to face him. She wanted to. This was what she came for.

Feeling her face cool down a bit, Caulifla placed her hands on top of Goku's chest and lifted herself up to face him for the first time since being in the tournament, unconsciously straddling him in the process.

She blinked for a second.

She could've sworn she saw a bit of pink on _his_ cheeks.

"Goku?" She mirrored his question to her, an uncertainty in her voice that sounded as if to make sure it was actually him, or that he was even real.

He watched the girl as she stared at him. The expression on her face was nothing short of adorable and the way she had positioned herself on him was...

"Yep. That's me." He flashed her a big genuine (albeit nervous) grin, fighting inwardly to keep his body in check.

She immediately took a breath as her expression lit up. He was finally here in front of here... _under_ her - she eventually noticed. There was so much she wanted to say, so many questions she wanted to ask.

So many things she suddenly imagined _doing_ to him in their current position.

Her thoughts (and following returning blush) were cut short at the memory of the last time she'd seen him... with Frieza.

Goku watched as a myriad of emotions danced among her features, and couldn't help but notice the pained worried look she was now giving him, before she pounced on him for the second time.

He made a sudden sound as he felt her hands begin roaming over his body, crawling over him like a spider. Skilled fingers found their way under his gi to touch the bare skin of his stomach and chest.

 _Every_ spot where Frieza had struck him.

Confused by her worried expression and invasive actions, Goku was glad she'd shifted her hips away from his, because by this point he'd already lost _that_ battle.

Just as he was about to ask her what the hell she was doing, the sound of her almost frantic concerned voice beat him to it, "Are you ok!? You're not hurt, are you?"

... eh?

He blinked and gave her a confused look. Was it the fall he just took? They'd both taken worse hits when they'd fought each other. But still...

She sounded genuinely worried, continued to stare at him with that look. Continued _touching_ him...

He groaned inwardly, her hands having a more powerful effect than most of his enemies' strongest attacks, before giving her a smile coupled with a (hopefully) lighthearted chuckle. Large hands found petite shoulders and she felt herself being gently lifted away from his body - much to her silent protests - so that her hands could cause no further "damage", placing her in a crouch in front of him while sitting up to face her.

"Of course I am! Why wouldn't I be?" He asked without seemingly a care in the world, yet she remained tense in his hands with her expression unchanged. If anything, it only grew worse. She wasn't buying it.

The Saiyan male let out a soft sigh, his female counterpart feeling his grip tighten reassuringly around her shoulders.

"Really, I'm ok." His voice held a serious yet comforting tone which seemed to placate her, feeling her relax in his grip. That is, until he thought to try reassuring her further...

"You know we could _both_ take a fall **ten times** harder than that!"

She stared at him silently, wearing a blank expression that masked a building fury from which even his cheerful grin wouldn't save him. _' **Th-that's** what he thinks I'm talking about!? That...'_ The twitch of her eyebrow followed by a sudden scowl was the only warning he got before-

The sound of a loud impact shook the land around them; A powerful tremor causing trees to lose their leaves as nearby birds took to the skies in a flurry.

"YOW! What was that for!?" Goku held a tear in his eye as he screamed in a manner akin to a yelp while clutching his left shoulder, where she'd punched him _hard_. His indignant watery onyx eyes locked with moist pissed ones, which caused his offended visage to melt into one of concern.

Why did _her_ eyes look wet?

Before he could get a better look, she had blinked, her features softening with an infectiously warm smile as she let out a sigh of relief. A confused Goku made a sound as Caulifla suddenly hugged him again, breathing in his scent before exhaling another contented sigh.

"... idiot."

At least she knew _he_ was ok.

Chi-Chi really wanted to give this up?

* * *

 **FINALLY the two interact, and to make up for it being about 18k words in, I made it cute and cuddly. Did I go a bit overboard with the fluff? Maybe. Probably. Yes. Like I said, I'd written this originally just for myself and I wanted some fluff xD Might make what was said in the excerpt now make more sense, about there having been contact between the two before. I _tried_ to give a good enough reason behind it, at least lol.**


	9. Chapter 9

**If the last chapter was too cute and/or fluffy, than ohhh boy this might be worse lol. I was kinda going off of the feeling of the two having a sort of attraction to each other thanks to their chemistry when they fought when I wrote this. So... hopefully it doesn't feel like it's coming out of nowhere xP**

* * *

For a girl who'd been near completely devoid of energy not 10 minutes ago, Caulifla had a surprisingly strong grip. Granted Goku's attempts to remove her from his torso had been halfhearted at best, of which she was fully aware, but it didn't stop her from tightening her grip on him any time he'd "try" - making the message of "I'm not going anywhere" loud and clear.

Admittedly he enjoyed her soft warm contact which brought a gentle (if confused) smile to his face as she unconsciously nuzzled into his chest and selfishly helped herself to his body heat; Long spiky tresses tickling at the male Saiyan's nose. A gentle purr escaped her when she felt his arms wrap around her shoulders - Goku having given up on trying to pry her off entirely.

He didn't fully understand, but supposed it wouldn't hurt to let her have this. It felt _far_ nicer than being punched, and successfully removing her from him might wind up incurring more wrath, which _would_ hurt.

 _'What's with her? She's acting like she'd seen me die or something...'_ If Goku only knew. Her imagination wouldn't let that horrible scene with Frieza go.

It felt as if time had slowed around them. The short minute that they had remained in their comfortable position felt more like an eternity before words finally found their way to Goku, "Hey... Cauli?"

Her eyes immediately snapped open as the sound of his voice broke her out of her reverie and brought her back to her senses; Another blush forming on her face hidden against his chest, _'What the hell am I doing?!'_ The sensible side of her mind questioned, and she knew the answer.

She was doing exactly what she wanted to do. Her body was acting on its own.

She let out a soft reluctant sigh. As much as she wanted to remain in her position a bit longer (as in, having not planned an end), she gathered herself together to lift herself up from the man under her, with only the faintest traces of pink remaining on her features.

He didn't appear to notice. In fact she could've sworn she'd seen the ghost of a frown in his expression as she climbed off him to crouch in front of him, resting her arms on her knees while the Saiyan male stared back at her.

... oh right. He'd asked her a question.

"Hey, Goku..." Her voice was quiet and almost hesitant at first, before her eyes lit up with that familiar determined smile that had burned itself into his memory, "Thought you could hide from me? I _knew_ I'd find you here!"

There was that cocky voice of hers he'd missed.

Seeming to forget the awkward yet pleasant moment from before, Goku moved to sit up as well, while flashing her his own goofy grin with a lighthearted chuckle, "Yeah. You got me." He began to pick himself up while reaching a hand out to her, which she gladly took, before helping her to her feet along with him.

"But what are you doing all the way out here? And what the hell happened to you back there?" His voice held the same energy as Champa's, but was more concerned and curious like Vados.

Confusion painted Caulifla's features as she blinked at him, unsure how to answer his question because she didn't understand it herself, "Back there?" She echoed with uncertainty. "What do you mean?"

Goku's brows furrowed to mirror her confusion, "When I found you, you were out cold in a forest not far off." He stood close enough to point over her shoulder in the direction they'd been coming from when she had jumped him. After Caulifla twisted her body to gaze back to where he was pointing, she felt his faint breath against the back of her neck as he sighed, earning a slight shiver from her and causing her to swiftly turn her attention back to him.

He really had to stop doing stuff like that if he knew what was good for him. She was fully aware that he was stronger, but she knew that wouldn't save him if she _wanted_ to have her way-

"Really, _I_ should be the one asking if _you're_ ok." Goku's concerned voice cut off her wayward thought, which was instead now replaced with a mental pout that may have also found its way onto her features as well.

 _'Liar.'_ She wanted to snap out at him. What did he take her for? He knew damn well what happened back and the Tournament of Power. Had she not been there, he would've...

She'd been ready to lash out in annoyance at her mentor for being an idiot, but she never got the chance as he placed a warm hand on her shoulder and continued.

"For a second there, I was afraid you weren't gonna make it..." His concerned expression and the amount of care in his voice was heartbreaking, replacing her annoyance with a warmth that enveloped her chest.

He really _was_ an idiot. An idiot Chi-Chi didn't deserve.

The Saiyan girl closed her eyes with a smile, taking the opportunity to collect herself as she reached up to gently remove his hand from her shoulder, holding it in hers for a bit longer than she needed. When she reopened them, Goku saw a reassuring spark in her gaze, her voice now full of energy.

"Wasn't gonna make it? Do you remember who you're talking to?" She flashed him a toothed grin with a wink as she released his hand and pointed a thumb to herself, "Or do I have to remind you of the tough girl who knocked you senseless in the tournament?" She added a snicker for good measure.

Goku returned with a playfully challenging smirk, deciding to play along, "She sure hit hard, but I remember things _bit_ differently." His smirk grew more devious, "Though my memory could be a bit fuzzy since the fight didn't last very long." He watched her cocky grin morph into a genuine smile as he taunted her. She was enjoying this.

"Oh yeah?" She wasn't gonna let him win that easily as she raised a fist up toward him, "Maybe I just need to jog your memory a little, till you remember the beautiful girl who wiped the floor with you!"

His infectious chuckle filled her ears as he closed his eyes in mirth, "Well she was _definitely_ beautiful. I remember that." He opened an eye to watch that smug grin of hers fall as her jaw slackened with a blush for only the faintest of moments before she recovered from that wonderful electric blow to her heart.

 _'Th-that moron! He did that on purpose!'_ She growled inwardly while trying her best not to look like she was glaring at him. She was _not_ gonna let him win this! However, he wasn't done.

" _But_ ~... She still needed a lot of training and practice to master her tremendous potential." Finished Goku, cutting Caulifla from her thoughts.

... come again?

Goku watched that flustered look of hers fade into shock as her eyes grew bigger at his unspoken invitation.

Ok. He won this one.

She closed her eyes and shook the stupor from her spiky head, making a soft noise as she took a step closer to him, looking up to reveal a determined fire burning in her onyx orbs.

"That's why I came out here!" Her tone was serious in contrast to earlier. "To find you-" _'To see you...'_ "-and have you teach me." Her determined expression looked almost pleading, before that near-pout turned into an angry frown and she leaned in toward him.

"Or did your **shit** memory **forget** that you **promised** to **teach** me how to turn **blue**?" She emphasized every few words with a firm poke to his chest to get her message across, causing the taller Saiyan to lean back with every advancing jab, a nervous "grin" clear on his features.

After that final poke, he grabbed her finger and pulled her hand to the side, standing upright while she continued to give him that look, "Of course I haven't forgotten!" His smile returned as he watched her own features soften. "I was actually _hoping_ I'd get to see you again."

Caulifla tried not to inhale too sharply as she stared at him. If Goku hadn't been holding her finger, she probably would've reached for her chest with that hand as she felt butterflies fly into it from her stomach. She knew what he'd meant, but still, to hear him say he'd been looking forward to seeing her...

"You wished us back with the Super Dragon Balls, didn't you?" Her soft question came out without even thinking, sounding more like a statement. Caulifla was already well aware of the answer courtesy of... Frieza.

With her finger still in his grip, Goku felt whatever hold she could get on his hand tighten in response, mistaking her reaction for something else. He squeezed her finger back with a nod as his smile grew, speaking almost as softly, "Yep. Sure did. Not too disappointed, are you?" He teased.

Feeling her eyes begin to water, Caulifla released a soft laugh, one which forced a large smile to spread across her cheeks as she closed her eyes while shaking her head in response. Goku made a sudden sound when, without warning, she'd slipped her finger out of his hand and closed the distance to catch him in yet another hug.

Goku's wish and the consequences that followed played out in her mind and she gripped his waist. Black spiky hair once again tickled his face as she lowered her head against his chest, neither of which seemed to bother him when she felt his hands on the small of her back. He really had no clue just what all his actions were worth to her. All the emotions she'd shared between getting erased and being brought back came flooding through her and onto the poor wonderful man in her grip.

A sniffle was the first sound he'd heard from her after about 30 seconds, followed by a soft "Thank you."; Those two words carrying more emotion than any Super Saiyan transformation he'd ever gone through. The only one that might've topped it was her first Super Saiyan 3 transformation.

Almost without thinking, Goku again began to gently run a hand up and down her exposed back, tracing along her spine like he'd done before, "I couldn't let it end like that. Everyone at the tournament was amazing, especially you." He felt Caulifla relax into him while releasing that delightful purr he'd heard before; A sound he decided he'd never get tired of.

A sly smile played itself across Caulifla's lips at the thought of Chi-Chi being here to see this as she felt Goku play with her spine, nearly arching into him. Her desire for him to teach and mentor her was almost forgotten entirely, almost. She pulled back just enough for her to look up at him while staying close enough so he'd keep up that wonderful movement of his fingers, "So then you'll train me?" She didn't try to hide the hopeful look or sound she gave him.

The Saiyan nodded back down to the slender girl in his arms with a smile, "Do you even have to ask?" He watched her face light up at his response, surprised if she had actually thought he might say no. However... "But that can wait a bit longer. I can tell you're still exhausted and wouldn't want you passing out on me right as we start." He regarded her with a stern look and serious tone that beckoned no argument.

Caulifla's expression fell. What the hell _had_ happened to her back there and why couldn't she remember? She'd begun to open her mouth to fire off all kinds of protests, but _'Those damn fingers!'_ she cursed inwardly as she felt another shiver run through her body. She could feel herself beginning to melt into his touch as he began to trace his fingers all the way down to the base of her spine just above her ass, exactly where her Saiyan tail would've been if she'd had one.

 _'He's **definitely** doing this on purpose!'_ She nearly growled as she glared at him. Had she actually tried, she was sure it would've come out as a moan.

Goku didn't know why he was doing it either. He knew he was trying to force her to relax and listen, but this... it was as if he was entranced, wanting more of those wonderful reactions from her.

"I know how much it means to you to get stronger, especially after coming all this way to get here, but I wanna make sure you're absolutely ok first." He continued while Caulifla kept silently glaring at him, pacified by his fingers at the moment. "There's a place nearby where you can rest. Maybe get some food in your stomach. How does that sound?"

Food _did_ sound good to her, now that she'd noticed her stomach growl. She knew he was right. She was still exhausted. Caulifla didn't wanna give in and admit it, but... his touch was completely sapping her will to fight back, and she felt her body becoming like lead as his fingers forced her to relax in his arms.

"Fine..." Was her breathy response - having whispered "idiot" under her breath - as she allowed her head to tilt back, half-lidded eyes trying their best to keep glaring at the man doing this to her. She could feel the exhaustion she'd been ignoring now creeping in as he forced her to relax, sleep filling her voice "You promise... right?"

Goku smiled at the delicate vulnerable creature in his arms. She looked so adorable as she fought to stay awake, watching him with the most intense stare her sleepy eyes could give. He knew she was holding out for his answer, and so nodded.

"Promise. I'll take good care of you."

The reassuring softness of his voice was all Caulifla needed. Her eyes fluttered closed as sleep finally claimed her, a peaceful expression replacing her features. Before she could fall, Goku had scooped her small frame into his arms once again, noting her contented smile as she leaned against his chest.

"I could get used to this." The smile had never left his face as he watched her, before tightening his protective grip on the girl and taking off towards his old camping spot. At least he knew there wouldn't be any more surprise attacks, but... he frowned a bit at that thought.

Minus the part where his back had made rough love to the ground, it had been kinda nice.

* * *

 **Did I try to add too much cuteness here too? Probably. Probably more than last chapter. But if any of us were in Goku's spot, who wouldn't be tempted to do the same thing? Small and delicate to the touch yet powerful and feisty to fight against. That's what makes her seem like a great pair with Goku and makes the couple cute to me.**

 **Quite a relationship to have with someone you can be gentle and cuddly with one moment, and then trying to break their nose with your fist the next. Something Goku could never really have with Chi-Chi.**


	10. Chapter 10

**10 chapters in and I think I finally found a decent balance between fluff and... not fluff. I won't say it's consistent, but... well you can find out by reading it for yourself xP  
**

 **I'm also glad to hear that you think I did Chi-Chi good so far, AriesNoChuy. It's pretty bad that her character makes her saying something like that believable, but it just makes Goku and Caulifla seem that much more fitting. And yeah, Caulifla seems kinda "hands on" to me too lol.**

* * *

 _"Don't you **dare** touch him!" She literally growled at the golden tyrant. Her voice contained the intensity of a shout, but was low and feral. Fitting of an animal like the Saiyans, Frieza had thought to himself. He could almost taste the venom dripping from her every word, but upon sizing the smaller girl up, realized her bark right now was worse than her bite._

 _He chuckled darkly and turned back to his target while addressing her._

 _"How sweet. I'm almost touched." His mouth formed a genuine, albeit wicked smile. His voice then became low and dangerous, "You're not gonna take this from me. Even if you were strong enough to destroy me, you're too far away for that to reach me in time."_

 _Frieza's gaze hardened as he steeled himself to shove his ball of death straight through Goku's chest. Electricity continued to crackle around Caulifla as she brought her arm back, shaking with realization._

 _He was right. There was nothing she could do to stop him before it was too late. All she would accomplish is blast him in revenge for... no! She didn't wanna think about that right now. She didn't wanna think about anything!_

 _She only wanted..._

 _'Goku...' Time seemed to slow down as Caulifla watched Frieza press his finger against Goku's chest. The Saiyan in his grip began to struggle in silent pain as the concentrated sphere of energy burned his skin, only for his eyes to widen with a look that broke her heart._

 _This couldn't be happening. There was no way this was happening._

 _Her heart stopped when she saw Goku's eyes widen, tears streaming down the Saiyan girl's face as she watched the attack pierce Goku's heart, feeling an excruciating sharp stab in her own as the ball of energy burst from his back like a sniper's bullet, leaving a burning hole in his flesh behind._

 _"GOKUUU!"_

Caulifla's eyes shot open with an almost bloodcurdling scream, breathing heavily as she sat up from the bed she'd been laying in. Beads of sweat covered her body and her heart was threatening to pound a hole in her chest. Wrapping her arms around herself, her body felt cold, and she was... shaking.

She didn't care to wipe the tears that were running down her cheeks as the horrible image from before played itself out in her head, over and over again. Frieza's maniacal laughter as she'd watched Goku's lifeless body collapse onto the ground at the tyrant's feet echoed hauntingly throughout her mind, nearly causing her to sob before she mentally slapped herself.

 _'No! Relax, Cauli. It was just a dream. Goku's fine! He's-'_

Wait... where was he?

Caulifla took a second to glance around as she slowly calmed herself down, only now noticing that she'd been lying in a bed that was inside of some kind of large wooden cabin. A warm shade of brown surrounded her on every wall with a roaring fireplace on the other side of the room. Swinging her legs over the edge of the bed, her feet made contact with soft plush carpet, taking tentative steps as she explored the cabin's interior with no sight of the Saiyan on her mind.

A pang of worry hit her. What if she'd dreamed the whole thing? And what if Frieza really had... Her steps became more frantic as she began to panic, feeling her stomach growing sick at the whole thought.

Sick and... hungry.

A loud growl from her belly caused her to stop when she caught the waft of a delicious aroma coming from the open doorway leading outside. She swallowed as her stomach growled again, but hoping at the same time that the smell meant she wasn't alone.

Soft footsteps were heard racing through the small lobby and into the doorway where Caulifla was met with the blinding afternoon light, causing her to squint. As her eyes adjusted, a blurry orange figure and the cause for her distress came into view. She placed a hand over her chest, closing her eyes while letting out a relieved breath that she hadn't known she'd been holding, before opening them to him again.

Goku was currently sitting on a log in front of a large fire with an enormous fish (or three) propped up on a stick while it cooked. She held onto the doorway as she watched him. He seemed much too busy to be dead, she mused as a smile crept across her face.

She was broken out of her stare at the sound of Goku's voice - having noticed her after hearing her footsteps behind him - as he called back to her.

"Hey there, Sleeping Beauty! I was wondering when you'd be up!" His smile was audible, and Caulifla felt a warmth rise from her chest and into her face before she willed it down, leaving the doorway to walk over to him.

"Did you sleep well?" His question was meant to be innocent and rhetorical, however...

Caulifla faltered briefly in her steps as a wave of pain gripped her chest. Images of Goku lying lifeless on the ground replaced the smiling man sitting in front of her, who now wore a concerned look at the almost pained expression that briefly crossed her features as she sat down next to him, touching a hand to his shoulder as she did so.

Goku continued to watch the girl with a puzzled look as her hand remained on his shoulder, slender feminine fingers tracing tentatively along the muscles in his arm. His breath caught in his throat at the look she was giving him, as if she was expecting him to disappear the moment she took her hand off of him.

"Hey, Cauli..?"

 _"You're not gonna take this away from me."_

She could hear Frieza's voice ringing in her head as she felt Goku's warm skin against hers, before being replaced by the sound of Goku's own.

 _'No, Frieza.'_

Goku continued to watch in puzzlement as Caulifla's expression grew hard, before yelping loudly when, to his complete surprise...

 _'You're not gonna take **this** away from me.'_

She pinched him, _hard_.

"YOW! Cauli, what was _that_ for!?" Having jumped a few inches away, the poor Saiyan male had a tear in his eye as he rubbed the spot on his arm where her hand had been. This was the _second_ time, now! He saw her face become soft with a smile gracing her lips as she continued to watch him, before turning to grab one of the sticks of fish from the fire.

"Sorry, but the food smelled so good that I had to make sure I wasn't dreaming." She quickly lied as she closed her eyes while flashing him a playful grin, turning to take a bite of the food her stomach was craving for.

Goku only frowned as he continued to rub the pain away "I thought you were supposed to pinch _yourself_ for that." His voice came out in a pout toward the endearing girl next to him, watching her face light up as she tasted the fish, seemingly ignoring him. She made a sound as her hand rose to touch her cheek, "This is... so good! This tastes better... than the fish on Sadala." Her voice came out between chews before swallowing to take another bite.

The Saiyan male seemed to forget that she'd just pinched him entirely, chuckling as he watched her wolf down her food much in the way that he always did. "Geez, we really _are_ alike. You remind me of the way _I_ eat!" Goku laughed as she gave him a brief look while chewing her next bite. She wasn't sure whether to take that as an insult or not, but she felt a small smile creep across her face at the thought, _'... 'we really are alike'...'_

She _was_ his female parallel from another universe, after all.

"And yeah. I guess you could say I've had practice." He continued as she ate and listened, watching him bring a finger up to scratch the side of his cheek. "This is where I'd often come to go camping with Krillin, Gohan, Goten, and Chi-Chi. Sometimes even Master Roshi if I could drag him away from the TV!" His face lit up with another laugh, not noticing the change in Caulifla when her face fell slightly as he continued talking.

 _'Chi-Chi...'_ An unpleasant pang struck her heart when she heard that name; The name she'd heard Videl say as she and Gohan had been leaving that house.

Goku still had no idea what Caulifla had heard when she'd eavesdropped on the conversation between his son and his... _wife_. The Saiyan girl mentally grimaced. That woman didn't deserve to be called that. The thought of her was making her Saiyan blood begin to boil.

"... and then there was the time Krillin got mistaken for Goten's brother when-"

"... Goku?"

Caulifla's soft voice brought his series of stories to an abrupt halt when he heard her speak up. There was an indiscernible tone in her voice as he watched her stare at the fire in front of them. She then turned her gaze toward him, not waiting for his response before continuing, "What's your family like?"

The question had clearly caught the man next to her off guard as she watched him pause and stare at her like she'd suddenly grown a tail. She was looking at him almost expectantly while waiting for his answer to her charged question.

"My family..?" Goku trailed off in thought as he recollected himself, having Caulifla's full attention, before his face lit up as if an idea had struck him, "They're the best! Gohan and Goten are really strong. Heck, Gohan was less than half my age when he turned Super Saiyan for the first time, and Goten was about half _that_ when he did!" The Saiyan male laughed next to her, and Caulifla couldn't help but smile at his goofy enthusiasm, almost forgetting the unpleasant feeling from before entirely as he continued.

"I watched Gohan transform for the first time when the two of us were training to fight Cell, who was holding a tournament to decide the fate of the Earth." For a brief moment, Caulifla noticed his voice become more serious with a slightly hardened expression as he recounted his memories during the time of the androids, before perking up again, "In the end, Gohan was the one who ended up killing him for good. His hair was so long when he first transformed that he almost looked like a Super Saiyan 3!"

The smaller girl tilted her head with catlike curiosity that made her look even cuter if it were possible, "Cell?" She didn't have to ask him who that was as her tone had done that for her. Goku answered her with a nod while taking a bite of his own, making sure to swallow before continuing, "Yeah. He was a bio experiment of an old enemy of mine, and had threatened to destroy the planet if no one could beat him in his tournament."

Caulifla could feel herself frown slightly as she remembered both Gohan and Roshi's words from before. How many enemies did Goku have? Why did a man she idolized so much attract so much hatred? She wanted to ask, but listened in silence as she allowed him to continue.

"He had set up the tournament specifically so he could fight me, but unfortunately I let him down." Goku had laughed dryly, managing to keep the lighthearted expression on his face "He was really strong. Much stronger than me."

That certainly brought her out of her thoughts, and she couldn't help but scoff at him.

"Stronger than _you_? Now I _know_ you're bullshitting me!" The girl half teased, putting on a grin as she playfully shoved him, "The only person who's stronger than you is sitting right _here_!"

Goku had his eyes closed as he gave her a toothed grin, laughing through his nose at her antics before opening them to look at her "I'm serious!" And though he was, his voice didn't sound like it, "I put up a good fight, but in the end it just wasn't enough."

Caulifla continued to smile back at him, even if she still thought he was being full of it.

"In the end, Gohan was the one who destroyed Cell by becoming a Super Saiyan 2. But even then, Cell would've managed to destroy the Earth if I..." Goku had looked down and trailed off as the memory played out in his mind. He was brought out of his thoughts when he felt a gentle hand on his shoulder, looking up to the Saiyan female's curious yet concerned face.

"If you _what_?" Caulifla's heart had begun to ache as she watched him uncharacteristically retreat into himself, already knowing what he was probably gonna say. She had unconsciously given his shoulder a light squeeze, coaxing out his answer as he started with a small sigh.

"During his fight with Cell, Gohan had gotten cocky with his own power and started toying with him instead of finishing him off." Goku shook his head at the younger image of his son while her hand remained on his shoulder for him to continue, "Cell was becoming more and more desperate, and eventually turned himself into a living bomb with enough power to destroy the planet."

Caulifla's eyes widened, her voice raised as she started at him, "What kind of a coward would-" She was cut off with a nod from Goku as he continued, "Yeah it was pretty cowardly alright. Cell didn't stand a chance against Gohan. But by then, there was nothing Gohan could do to stop it. Even the slightest disturbance would've detonated him."

By now the smaller girl next to Goku was hanging on his every word. Though it wasn't the most pleasant story, nothing like this had ever happened with her on Sadala.

"What did you do?" She had an almost accusing tone with a sharp look as she gave his shoulder another squeeze.

He regarded her for a second before turning his gaze to stare into the fire, putting his hands on his knees while enjoying her gentle touch, his lips forming an almost sad smile, "There was only one thing I _could_ do. I quickly used my Instant Transmission to teleport Cell and I to a far away planet for him to detonate safely..."

 _'"Safely" my ass!'_ He considered letting himself be blown up "safe"? Caulifla almost scowled at the man next to her, having half a mind to pinch his arm again. _Harder_ this time, maybe enough to draw blood. Instead it came out as another more firm squeeze as she watched him suddenly start to snicker while rubbing a finger under his nose.

"Boy King Kai wasn't happy to see me show up on his planet with Cell. But hey, we both learned that even _gods_ could die after that!" His snickers had turned into full blown laughter at the memory of King Kai's reaction when he'd seen a bloated Cell in his back yard.

The Saiyan girl had closed her eyes and shaken her head with a small sigh. So this was the story that his son and his 'wife' were talking about. He hadn't died fighting Cell. He _knowingly_ sacrificed himself so that no one else would die. The lack of appreciation from that woman brought Caulifla's blood to a simmer. The whole conversation was just making her heart ache more for the man next to her.

"... it wasn't until about 7 years later when the Grand Elder Kai gave his life to me so I could fight Buu-" Goku's story came to a halt when he swore he'd heard a soft giggle come from the girl next to him. Shifting his focus back to her, he thought he'd caught a glimpse of an affectionate smile staring back at him, which spread into another playful grin.

A grin that hid her disdain for the woman who called herself his wife.

With a small hand still on Goku's shoulder, Caulifla's grip tightened as she lightly shook the Saiyan, "Ok ok! I get it, _Mr. Hero_." She teased, the term holding more meaning than he knew, "This Cell was pretty tough, but you're probably ten times stronger than that now!" She didn't know exactly when, but at some point her hand had shifted to point a finger into his chest, wiggling it into his gi for emphasis.

She was met with light laughter as his hand moved to rub the back of his head in response. "You got that right. You could mop the floor with him too... and Majin Buu!" She wasn't sure who this Majin Buu was, but it sounded pink. She could also hear the honesty in his voice, before she fired back while pressing her finger more firmly into his chest, "Psh! If _you_ could do it, I _definitely_ could!", which was met with a firm nod. He didn't seem to know how to lie, unlike a certain woman who kept pestering the back of her mind to interrupt her mood.

Taking a breath, Caulifla steeled herself to test the waters with Goku, keeping the lighthearted tone of the conversation, "Though I don't think I could do something as _stupid_ and crazy as getting myself blown up." She paused with a mock glare before adding an 'afterthought'.

"Your wife must be very grateful to have someone as selfless as you."

 _-"Ooo! Like a lioness moving in for the kill!"-_ Vados shouted in Caulifla's mind. She could practically hear the blue Angel's bubbling voice as if she were real and in front of her, causing her to growl inwardly, _'Shut up, Vados!'_.

 _-"Am I wrong? Then **what** is it you're doing right now?"-_ Caulifla mentally opened and closed her mouth as she thought of a response, _'I'm... I'm just curious of what he thinks of that woman after... after hearing what she thinks of him!'_

 _-"But **why**? Is it because **you** have feelings for him?"-_ The Saiyan instantly shot back, _'As a fighter and a teacher! I have a lot of respect for him. **Why** do you instantly assume that I like him!?'_

 _-"Because you do."-_ Caulifla glared at the mental image of Vados with her mind's eye, _'I don't.'_

 _-"You do."-_ Caulifla growled again, _'No, I don't! What makes you so sure?'_

 _-"Because I'm not really here."-_ The Angel inside her mind simply stated like it were obvious. She was only a projection of Caulifla's own thoughts. The Saiyan girl just mentally blanched as she tried to find a retort.

 _-"Do you think you would make a better mate for Goku than Chi-Chi?"-_ The Saiyan gave the imaginary Angel a look as if she'd asked something outrageous, before firing back almost instinctively, _'Of course I would!'_

The image of Vados gave Caulifla that sly smile of hers, and the Saiyan mentally gasped when she'd realized what she'd said out loud... well out loud in her thoughts.

 _-"Make of that what you will~"-_ Was all that Vados sang out before her face began to fade from Caulifla's mind, replaced by the somber image of Goku as he continued talking. He was smiling but...

 _'It looks so forced, so... sad...'_

He hadn't been looking at her while he talked, unable to meet her eye... or anyone's eye. Instead he stared into the fire, missing the myriad of emotions that played on the young girl's face during her inward argument, which was now currently settled on a frown as he continued.

"I know she loves me, but she seems more annoyed than anything with what I do. I know it was hard on her, being away for all those years, but I just wish she'd understand-"

Goku made a surprised sound when he was cut off by Caulifla's hand sliding up to grip the front of his gi, pulling him toward her as she leaned up to place a gentle kiss on the side of his face, perfectly molding her lips around the contour of his jaw. A twinge of pink adorned her cheeks, and whether Goku's wide confused eyes could see her blush from his angle, she didn't particularly care.

* * *

 **And for reference, the cover for this story is the image I'm describing xP  
**

* * *

Caulifla held Goku in that position with her lips firmly sealed against his skin for longer than she'd intended, but not for _nearly_ as long as she'd wanted before she pulled away ever-so-slowly about ten seconds later. Her blush had faded enough to be masked by the orange light of the fire while giving him that affectionate look again. The one that made his heart suddenly skip a beat as he regarded this mysterious alluring creature next to him.

" _I_ appreciate everything you've done, Goku." Her hand, which still hadn't let go of his gi, gripped it tighter, "Especially everything you've done for _me_. Thank you." She had injected enough emotion into those last two words she'd breathed out to get the point across, leaving Goku to only stare at her, lost for words.

 _-"Now **that** did some damage! Plant that seed, girl!"-_ The voice of Vados again played in her head. The Saiyan girl gave a satisfied smirk as she watched Goku struggle for some kind of response.

Regardless of her feelings, she'd had a strong effect on the other Saiyan, and the electricity she'd felt when her lips touched him, followed by the wonderful pang as it traveled down to her heart, made it worth considering doing again.

She should've been careful what she wished for, especially in a world where wishes can come true.

Releasing his gi, Caulifla continued to watch with a silent giggle as Goku finally found his voice, clearly flustered as a small blush formed on his face. She felt her heart jump in response, followed by her promptly turning away to take another bite of her fish before her own face became any redder.

She watched him out of the corner of her eye as she chewed, satisfied by the faint nervousness in his voice as he looked away while again rubbing the back of his head. "Ehehehe." He let out a sigh as he began to collect himself, "Thanks, Cauli. That... means a lot to me."

Unsure of what else to say, Goku decided to change the subject a bit. His tone picked up slightly as he turned to face her again, "But wow. I still can't believe it. Coming _all_ the way out here by yourself just for training? That's crazy! There's _gotta_ be something else." She continue to watch him out of the corner of her eye with her full attention, turning her head slightly to get a better look at him after he'd shifted back to look into the fire with those soft features of his.

She didn't have the chance to give him a reply, as she was still chewing, and so he continued on with a chuckle, "I mean, it's not like you came just to see me or anything."

His face immediately shifted into panic as his joke was met with a violent coughing fit from the girl next to him when the piece of fish she'd been chewing on found its way in the wrong tube. Her squinted eyes were full of tears and her face bright red as she gripped the base of her throat, her body jerking with every violent cough and spasm of her lungs in an attempt to remove the offending substance.

"CAULIFLA!" Had she not been currently occupied with desperately trying to inhale some much-needed oxygen, she would've been touched by the amount of concern and fear in his voice as he grabbed her by the shoulders to spin her to face him.

 _'No! Think, Goku! I have to do something! I have to-'_ He couldn't tell if it was the girl in his arms who was trembling, his own grip shaking, or both as his gaze settled on the Saiyan girl's soft lips.

 _'Well this sure is attractive, Cauli.'_ Caulifla sarcastically berated herself as she slowly forced the piece of fish loose from her windpipe. She let out a small squeak when she felt her small frame being tilted into a laying position in Goku's arms while he shifted towards her. Cracking her eyes open, she let out a gasp (causing another coughing fit to erupt) through her nose when she saw Goku lowering his face towards hers.

 _'Wh-what is he doing!? He thinks I'm...'_ The young girl panicked with a deep blush - that she was glad his eyes were closed for - watching with wide eyes as his lips drew closer to hers. Despite the object still irritating her esophagus, Caulifla couldn't help herself as her eyes fluttered closed and she tilted her head back, slightly puckering her lips in anticipation for his own...

Maybe nearly choking wasn't so bad after all.

Fate seemed to enjoy toying with the poor girl as, much to her dismay, her body convulsed with a violent cough that completely dislodged the fish just as she felt Goku's warm breath begin to tickle her lips. Correctly swallowing the offending meat, she opened her eyes with a frown as the startled Saiyan male abruptly pulled his face away.

After giving himself a few seconds to make sure she was breathing, Goku let out a relieved sigh with a frown of his own, "Geez, Cauli. Are you ok?" Though he knew the answer, Caulifla could still feel his arms shaking as he held her.

She didn't answer him right away, only continuing to stare at him with half-lidded eyes as she tried to calm her heavy breathing and light trembling, more at the thought of what had almost happened than anything. That almost kiss, which she hoped would replace the haunting images of Frieza in her mind.

"Yeah... Goku." Caulifla finally managed to breath out after a few seconds, her features forming into a small smile as she slowly blinked at him, "Thanks...". Tear stains from her coughing adorned her crimson cheeks and, though she looked a mess, what Goku saw in his arms was nothing short of an angel.

Upon hearing her winded response, Goku unconsciously used a gentle hand to wipe her tears away, "Any time." His voice took on a playful tone as he regarded her with soft yet goofy smile, "I had no idea I was this breathtaking."

The girl in his arms couldn't help the light chortle that escaped her lips. Feeling her breathing return to normal, she slowly hooked an arm around his neck to pull herself up while his hand found her back to help keep her steady.

After finding her seat next to him, Caulifla regarded his teasing with a thoughtful finger against her chin, "Hmmm, I don't know if I'd go _that_ far..." Her response came with a small smirk that grew as Goku gave her a feigned dejected look, before the two burst into a fit of giggles.

 _'No. I wouldn't mind going a bit further...'_ That stray thought brought the events from just before to the forefront of her mind. Her lips still tingled with the memory of Goku's breath and the kiss she'd given him before, unable to help imagining what it would've been like if he'd just been an inch closer...

Between those two memories and her vivid imagination, Caulifla's hand found her chest as she felt her heart begin beating faster, as though her thoughts were fueling the small engine of a muscle behind her sternum.

As if reading her thoughts, Goku could feel his own heart nearly throbbing in his chest as he recalled the way Caulifla had looked in his arms, how he'd almost kissed her...

Neither of which were thoughts that seemed to bother him, actually. Still...

"You ready to train?" The two Saiyans blinked at each other, realizing they'd asked the question in unison, before bursting into a full-blown fit of laughter.

"I guess that answers my question." Answered Goku while wiping a tear from his eye, regarding his new pupil who held an equally challenging grin as she rose to her feet. She put her hands on her hips with a nod, "I hope that ass of yours is ready to get kicked into the next universe!" The joke wasn't lost on him.

"Maybe." Goku rose to meet the girl with sharp eyes full of excitement, having seemingly forgotten what had nearly happened between them as he folded his arms, "This ass knows just the place."

Caulifla's grin widened to bear her teeth. This was what the Saiyan girl had been looking for. She'd been itching to get her hands on him ever since the tournament, an irony that was not lost on her as she thought about all the times she'd already had her hands on him since arriving on Earth. She didn't mind as those memories created another flutter in her chest, because she was already feeling plenty excited to lock fists with him once again.

"Lead the way, _senpai~_ "

She had sung the word out in a teasing manner, but whether it had an affect on him or not, she decided the liked the way it sounded.

* * *

 **It's funny. This chapter was the one where I started having trouble, as in feeling myself losing steam and finding myself sitting on a paragraph for a half hour or longer while trying to come up with the wording and stuff, but going through this... I actually think it flows pretty well. As critical as I am of myself (be it in writing, making gaming content, etc..), I especially enjoyed reading through this one as I touched it up xD**

 **I found I also like the back-and-forth between them like this. I do tend to have a lot of paragraphs with few dialogue, but I do have moments like this too. This gives Caulifla even more background of Goku and allows her to hear things from him directly, which doesn't help Chi-Chi's case lol.** ** **Also I know the difference between "sensei" and "senpai", so that's not why she started saying it. Goku is her senpai, but after the little inner talk she just had, she's more comfortable using "senpai" in, well, the context a lot of anime use it xP  
****

 **Though Vados is no longer in the story, I had fun using her for convenient soul-searching. It's not something too uncommon for someone to have an inner conversation/argument with themselves while projecting their thoughts into the image of someone else to plainly say the things that person can't admit to themselves. So this is Caulifla's way of convincing herself of her feelings (given the small span of time that's passed in the fic), which is the catalyst that makes her more bold in the excerpt you probably already read.**

 **Speaking of which...**


	11. Chapter 11

**If this chapter looks familiar, then that means you read my excerpt, because here it is all in one! I had put the two halves together labeled "The Power to Protect 11" before ever making a "The Power to Protect 1" doc here. I was just guessing that this would end up the 11th chapter. Spot on!**

 **Gives a bit more context now to some of the things in this chapter now that the previous ones are up. I also touched up the wording here and there, corrected some spelling, added in a sentence here or there as well as missing words, so it's not 100% the same thing. More like 99.5%.**

 **You know, as arbitrary as the power levels tend to be lol.**

 **I would say that this already having been done is why this came out right away, but actually the rest of the chapters are kinda "done" too. I've touched them up as well as I could on my own. So I could just post the entire rest of them, and if anyone can find any ways to improve it, then I'm always open to suggestions!**

* * *

For a barren rocky wasteland in the middle of nowhere, Caulifla thought the place didn't look so bad. She'd been occupying her time with picking up rocks varying from the size of her big toe to the size of her head and whipping them though the air as hard as she could, to determine the furthest mountain formation she could hit in the distance.

Not far off, her muse and now official mentor/senpai was busying himself with a few stretching exercises before the two began what she liked to call an "extreme renovation" of the landscape around them.

 _'Get ready Goku, because I'm gonna Rock. Your. World!'_

The terrible pun she _had_ intended was lost to even her as she realized the innuendo behind it, causing her to shake her head to remove any "excess heat". When she noticed Goku waving over to her, her face lit up and she took to the air to close the distance in less than a second (2 tops), landing in front of him with her fists out to the side, mentally ready for anything he threw at her.

She watched the man she idolized as his eyes roamed up and down her slender frame, causing more heat to rise to her cheeks at the imagination of what thoughts were running through his mind, though realizing he was probably sizing her up and taking note of her current state to determine what they'd be doing.

Though she didn't say that she minded him staring...

After what seemed like an eternity (really a few seconds), Caulifla was brought from her wayward thoughts when Goku nodded with an affirmative "Hn". "Alright, Cauli. You ready?"

He didn't have to ask, but she nodded anyway as she lowered herself into a battle stance, hardly able to wait for the ensuing destruction they were about to cause.

Now she'd have an **excuse** for getting her hands all over him.

"I have to hand it to you, senpai. You picked a perfect place for this." The excitement between the two was palpable, which only grew with the flicker she saw in Goku's eyes at her compliment.

"Call me a bit sappy, but this place holds a lot of sentimental value to me." He had put his hands on his hips to scan the area as he spoke. "You could say it already has an application with a 'past history' to go on."

"Oh?" The slender Saiyan girl had raised an eyebrow at his peculiar wording, getting out of her stance to cross her arms under her breasts. "Ok, you have my interest. What makes this place so special?" She couldn't help the smile that crept along her face as the older Saiyan began to reminisce.

Goku had had his back turned to her when she asked, throwing his head over his shoulder as he turned to face her with a knowing grin, "Well if you _have_ to know-"

The Saiyan flower rolled her eyes as he started, unable to stop her smile from spreading, _'Like you_ _ **weren't**_ _trying to goad me... idiot.'_ She almost brought a hand to her face to hide her smile as she shook her head and listened to him continue.

"-this was the place where I first fought Vegeta to the death in order to protect the planet." His onyx eyes scanned the surroundings, stopping to stare at each spot that, to an outsider meant absolutely nothing but a crater or pile of rocks, but to the man in front of Caulifla, held very vivid memories.

The girl in question did a double-take as she took a step closer to the other Saiyan. She wasn't gonna let him stop _there_ after he'd piqued her interest. "Vegeta? You mean the spiky-haired Saiyan?" She then stopped and pursed her lips as she looked up, widening her eyes as if doing so would allow her to see the top of her own head.

"Er, the _other_ spiky-haired Saiyan?"

She watched him chuckle at her antics which earned him a childlike scowl even though the endearing look he'd given her had made her heart flutter, a blow she'd swiftly recovered from as he nodded his response, "Yep. The one and only!" His eyes continued to scan over specific spots that she assumed were part of the fight they'd had.

She frowned at him slightly when he wasn't looking.

 _'Even Goku's **friends** try to kill him?'_ Her fingers played with the material of her tube top while keeping her arms crossed. However, her eyebrow began to twitch followed by a silent growl of frustration as she tapped her foot, _'Grr! There he goes again! Barely telling me anything as if he_ _ **knows**_ _I'm going to ask!'_

And though it wasn't his intention, he was absolutely right.

"But isn't Vegeta your friend? Why would he do that?" The curious tone of her voice brought Goku out of his musings and he turned to face the Saiyan girl, who had taken a few unconscious steps towards him, "Well, he and I are friends _now_ , but he didn't always used to be a nice guy." His shoulders lifted in a light shrug.

The 'care to rephrase that?' look Caulifla had given him, which included a raised eyebrow, caused him to laugh while lowering his head, "Ok ok! Maybe that wasn't the _best_ way to put it." He put his hand to his chin in thought before snapping his fingers, "He didn't used to be nearly as nice as he is now." He smirked when she'd given him a look of approval, "And that's putting it _lightly_."

Caulifla had giggled slightly when he added that last bit. Though she'd been itching to lock fists with him (after nearly locking lips), she'd realized she simply enjoyed spending time with him, _especially_ he kind of time they'd had so far.

When she saw him stop to sit on a small rock formation and pat the spot next to him, she wasted no time in crawling up to sit cross-legged by his side.

The two sat in comfortable silence for a couple of seconds before that silence was broken by the sound of Goku shifting next to her, followed by what sounded like a happy sigh from he Saiyan, "Sorry Cauli. I know you're looking to finally tear into me after coming all this way, and here I am taking a trip down memory lane instead."

Studying him from the side, she could see he still held a smile on his face.

Shaking her head, Caulifla made a negative sound as she reached over to place a gentle hand on Goku's knee, giving it a light squeeze while relishing in the contact, which caused Goku to look at her, " _Of_ _course_ I wanna fight you. I've wanted to wipe that cocky smirk off your face ever since we first fought." She gave him a smirk of her own which he returned with a smile, the both of them knowing full well she had been just as, if not _more_ cocky.

She still wanted to wipe it off of him, though.

"But outside of the tournament, I enjoy your company too. A lot." At that last bit she had scooted closer to him, feeling her heart begin to race. It didn't matter. Both of their hearts would be pumping soon anyway, and so she continued with a curious tilt of her head, "What was the battle like?"

He gave her an elated look which in turn elated her mood as well, "It was intense, let me tell you." The sharp warrior stare he gave seemed to match that as he looked forward into the horizon, "Mind you we weren't _nearly_ as strong as you were when we first met." Seemingly without knowing, he placed his hand over hers on his knee, earning a faint gasp from the girl as he continued, "But at the time, we weren't sure who would win. It kept tipping one way or the other." He gave her hand a squeeze, causing her to whimper silently.

 _'Does he know what he's doing!?'_ She fought the feeling as well as her blush down, shifting a little bit while trying to distract herself with the conversation, at the same time not wanting to move her hand, "But you obviously won, right?" The question had come out almost matter-of-factly.

To both her relief and disappointment, the warmth of Goku's hand left hers as he folded his arms and nodded while looking at her, making her hope she'd kicked that blush's ass, "You know it! But if it hadn't been for Krillin and Gohan, I would've been dead, and even then Vegeta had managed to break every bone in my entire body!"

Though Goku had started laughing, Caulifla didn't find it _quite_ as funny, frowning as she tilted forward to get a better view of his face while returning her hand to her own knee, " _Every_ bone? Jesus!", That sounded like Goku, but then a sudden thought made her pause.

She wondered...

Her voice became a bit lower, with a curiosity that hid the true intention of her question, "You must've given everyone quite a scare afterward, huh?" She got the answer she wanted when she noticed his jovial expression falter slightly, before he flashed her a subdued smile and tilted to lean back on his hands.

"Well Gohan was unconscious and Krillin was just happy we were alive." Caulifla had shifted to face him better and gave him a look that said 'you know what I mean'. The message was received and Goku tilted more to lay on his back completely, looking up to the sky with his hands behind his head while the smaller Saiyan followed suit, turning her head to watch his features.

"Master Roshi and Bulma were worried about me no doubt." His stomach contracted with a sudden single chuckle, "I think Bulma might've even been crying." There was a brief pause and his smile fell slightly, "Chi-Chi..." At this he had trailed off, considering his next words. The girl next to him felt herself tense.

Here it comes...

"I'm sure she was worried too." That was already along the lines of what Caulifla expected, and she wasn't sure how much she bought it. "I heard her rush out from the shuttle while screaming Gohan's name over and over, though I'd just been wished by to life by the Dragon Balls after dying the first time a year before, so she didn't know I was there too."

Caulifla could already feel an anger rising in the pit of her stomach. She definitely didn't buy that, and Goku didn't really sound like he believed it either. Already the Saiyan girl could feel an unconscious hand reaching out toward Goku as he continued.

"Of course she _did_ jump over me to get to Gohan, and then walked off with him without saying a word... but-" Whatever excuse Goku was gonna make for his wife was cut off when he felt Caulifla's hand on his chest, earning a surprised sound from him. He turned his head to look at her, seeing her now laying on her side to face him, spiky hair fanning out over the arm her head was rested in with the other outstretched to touch him.

They seemed almost like lovers who were sharing a be-

"I don't think she appreciates you." Caulifla's words cut into him more than the _'That bitch doesn't deserve you!'_ that she'd also been aggressively thinking, but it wasn't because of what she said. Goku felt his heart melt at the sad look she was giving him and the worried tone in her voice.

Goku just stared at her silently as he considered her honest words, before again taking note of the intimate position they were in. Caulifla knew what he must've been thinking when she felt his heart skip a beat under her hand, which made her grin sweetly in satisfaction while her own heart jumped a split second later.

It was time for a little _fun_ , she decided.

Before Goku could even try to come up with a response to the beautiful creature next to him, he was taken aback when Caulifla tilted to lean over him in a flash with the sweetest most affectionate smile she could give him, taking delight in his wordless expression. Her hand was still on his chest and could feel his heart beat faster and faster as she leaned in closer, and closer...

Her affectionate smile morphed into a wicked grin right before his eyes as her hand formed a fist on his chest, "But my fist would like to appreciate your face!" The Saiyan girl all but shouted with fire in her features as she used her fist to spring herself off of Goku, flipping through the air to land a few meters away while facing him with her fists out to her sides, "Not too afraid I'll _break every bone in your body_ , are you?" Her voice was dripping with tease.

That cocky grin of hers never failed to lift his spirits and Goku felt himself returning it with a light chuckle as he sat up and watched her, "Afraid? Never." Caulifla gasped and took a step back when the Saiyan male vanished from his spot while simultaneously appearing a few feat in front of her with his own fists out and ready, "If you managed to do that, words couldn't describe how proud I'd be."

With her initial shock from his speed faded, Caulifla felt her chest tighten from the sound of adoration in his words. She'd never do that to him even if she could, but still she steeled herself while resuming her stance, "So what kind of training are we gonna be doing, senpai?" Her determined look told him she was ready for anything.

There was a slight pause as Goku considered their options, "Just a normal spar for now." At that he had cracked his neck and gotten down into his fighting stance with a challenging grin, "How about we start out slow and see where it goes from there?" She gave him a wider stare. Those words, didn't he realize that phrase almost sounded like s-

"HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

It was Caulifla's own voice that tore through her distracted thoughts. She had shaken her head in an attempt to remove them completely before screaming up to the heavens with her eyes tightly shut as power began to erupt from her in waves. Goku regarded the Saiyan girl with a smile as he lifted an arm to shield his eyes from the powerful torrent of wind she was generating, _'So much for taking it slow.'_ This was just what he was expecting from her.

The sound of crackling electricity filled Goku's ears as the wind died down and the dust settled. His smile grew wider when he saw her now standing before him with golden spiky hair and a determined smirk that was both as fiery and electric as the power radiating from her. A smirk that turned into a playful and almost wicked toothed grin as she bent herself into a catlike stance, "Oh, I know _exactly_ where I want it to go, senpai." Her voice came out in an almost purr to match, eyeing Goku like a feline eyeing its prey, "Sorry if I feel like skipping the foreplay this time."

Caulifla had no intention of giving Goku much time to let her words sink in before she was on top of him, sending a flurry of punches with enough force to blow his hair around as he narrowly darted his head around them. Despite their difference in strength, Caulifla had a much larger advantage over him in her Super Saiyan 2 form, and was using that to push the Saiyan male back.

A chuckle escaped her lips when she left herself open for Goku to retaliate with a swing of his fist, only for Goku to make a sound as his fist passed right through her fading form. He didn't have to wait long to figure out where she'd gotten to when she landed a powerful kick on his back, sending him spiraling at an upward angle into a mountain formation off in the distance with her following in chase.

The resulting impact caused a large portion of the mountain to crumble while leaving Goku embedded in the rock with his arms stretched out to face Caulifla as she came to a stop in front of him, her teal eyes watching him with a satisfied smirk. One that he immediately returned.

"Alright. I guess I should start taking you seriously, then." With a sharp grunt from the male in front of her, Caulifla watched Goku's own hair spike up as an electric power surged from him, shattering the portion of the rock he'd been trapped in. His now golden hair and crackling energy was a welcome sight that caused her to grin with glee, "About time. All it took was a literal ass-kicking!"

Her chuckle was met with his own before Goku rolled his shoulder, "Well then, time for round t- GUAH!"

The Saiyan male made a sudden sound followed by a crash as Caulifla bolted forward and shoved him back into the rock behind them, pinning Goku by his shoulders. The two locked hard gazes for a second and, just as Goku was about to move to push her off and go on the attack, he felt himself freeze.

 _'What is she doing!?'_

Goku's eyes widened as Caulifla began to lean in towards him with a soft look on her face. Regardless of how hard she'd been pinning him against the rock behind them, he found himself unable to push back against her as she leaned closer.

And closer.

Caulifla couldn't tell who's heart was beating faster even as she moved her right hand from Goku's shoulder to his chest. That electric sensation in her chest was back, and with their Super Saiyan 2 energy surrounding them she could feel it on her skin too.

She couldn't help herself from helping herself.

The Saiyan girl's eyes fluttered closed as her face drew closer to his, stopping only when she felt that wonderful familiar sensation of his breath against her lips. A small smile graced those tempting lips of hers when she felt Goku's heart skip as she held her face just an inch from his own, again causing her own heart to flutter.

The look she was giving him was so soft. So... _kissable_.

 _'I could...'_ Caulifla mused as she felt another shaky breath tickle her lips, followed by her warm breath against his own. _'Would you let me?'_ She was given her answer when she opened her eyes just enough to see Goku's own teal orbs still staring back at her, making no move to stop her whatsoever.

Her breath almost caught against his at the sight. Every atom in her body was screaming to will her forward and close the distance, and she could feel the muscles in her shoulders relaxing to do just that.

But...

Caulifla fully opened her eyes to take in Goku's beautifully stunned face, his own eyes staring into hers with hesitance and uncertainty of what she was going to do, or what to do himself.

Now wasn't the time.

Forming her lips into a smirk, the Saiyan girl tilted herself just enough to place a quick playful peck on the tip of Goku's nose, before turning to kick off of the now blushing Saiyan's chest with enough force to send him into the heart of the rock formation and cause it to crumble around him. The force of her own kick sent her spiraling backwards before coming to a sudden stop in the air, watching the likely flustered Saiyan male fly out of the cloud of dust to meet her level while she giggled to herself.

"What's wrong, senpai~?" Caulifla sung innocently while performing a slow back-flip in the air, giving him a mischievous grin as she came about, "It's not like you to leave yourself open like that." She couldn't help the not-so-subtle tease in her voice as she giggled again at the priceless look he was now giving her, _'Told him I'd wipe that cocky grin off his face.'_. Dropping all innocent pretenses, she stuck her tongue out at him before widening her grin as she watched him float toward her.

 _'Training with Goku really_ _ **is**_ _fun.'_

The current object of both her fury and affection stopped a few feet from her, having seemingly recovered from before, "Heh...". She continued to grin at him as he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, more so to wipe the sensation from before off of his lips, "You're right. Sorry about that. It's kind of a bad habit of mine." When he finished wiping, he wore a cocky mischievous smirk of his own, "Something tasty caught my eye and must've distracted me."

Goku could only mentally chuckle at the response he got. A deer caught in the headlights couldn't compare to the look Caulifla was giving him as she seemed to freeze in place, the heat in her cheeks doing nothing to thaw her out, _'Th-that smooth little-'_. Goku didn't give her the time to finish her thought, let alone recover from her little daze, before closing the distance to grab the girl's slender arm, using his momentum to create a pivot and swing her around, finally releasing her to send her soaring to the ground while giving chase.

 _'Shit! Screw that! I should've just blasted his head off back there!'_ Caulifla's eyes were tightly shut with gritted teeth as she spiraled toward the ground, _'... or actually kissed him...'_ She shook her head free of the absurd thought as she steadied herself and stopped just before hitting the ground, creating a small cloud of dust from the force. The hum of energy above her caused her to twist herself to look up just in time to see Goku's silhouette come into view from the sun. Her eyes widened when she saw a ki blast in each hand, having bent his arms back to thrust them at her.

 _'Don't forget who you're fighting, Cauli!'_ The girl formed proud smirk at the man above her, sharpening her features to match his own while stretching a leg out and spinning to kick off the ground and fly straight towards him. Small red orbs of energy formed to float around Caulifla's own outstretched hand with a shout as she and Goku closed the distance between them. The two shared a look as they passed each other in seemingly slow motion, each giving the other a confident smile.

A smile that followed them as they turned their bodies to keep their eyes locked on one another.

 _'Ge ready, Cauli, because-' '-I'm not gonna go easy on you, senpai!'_

The fierce symphony of male and female Saiyan battle cries were nearly drowned out by thunderous explosions of red and yellow as the two continued to fire volley after volley at each other. Despite the fierce anger and rage that sounded in their voices, their grins only continued to grow wider as one watched the other dodge their attack or intercept it with their own. Shining golden hair whipped around wildly in the wind created from the intense shockwaves of each explosion which rattled their bones. Whether it hurt or not, neither Saiyan seemed to notice nor care.

In fact, their deadly game of dodge-ball only grew more intense, with arcs of electricity joining the fray as their power rose. The wasteland below - now battlefield - was slowly beginning to look like the Tournament of Power arena, one crater at a time. That is, until Goku stopped firing his ki blasts to grab one of Caulifla's own, causing her to stop with widened eyes as she watched him form a blue ki blast in his other hand and bring both hands together at his side. The girl responded by staring in shock, _'Wh-what the hell is he doing?!'_

"Ka... me..."

Caulifla's eyes may as well have reached the top of her forehead as they widened further while she watched the Saiyan in front of her prepare his attack, _'That's just like...'_ She'd seen his Kamehameha before, and it had amazed her back then, but this one had a familiarity that caused her to start trembling at the memory.

Though not out of fear.

"... ha... me..."

The way Goku's hands shifted around unstably as the two ki blasts ground against each other was just like that time! The form he'd taken then... she could feel the same tingling sensation it had given her the first time she'd seen it, starting from her skin before penetrating her to her core. It was a pleasant sensation; One that caused her to shiver, _'That's-'_

"HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

The early afternoon sky itself seemed to grow dark in comparison to the intense light from Goku's blast, which was accompanied by an ear-shattering sonicboom. If they hadn't noticed their bones vibrating before, they did now as the large beam - consisting of separate red and blue spirals in a double helix - traveled from his outstretched arms.

"THAT'S SO COOL!" Caulifla thrust her arms down excitedly with stars in her eyes and the biggest open-mouthed smile she could muster. Already those eyes hid a myriad of ideas being concocted for her to "coax" Goku into teaching her.

Said Saiyan had a satisfied grin on his face as he watched his newest work of art, but that smile fell when his gaze shifted to the girl in the way of the blast, _'What is she doing!?'_ He gasped at the sudden realization.

She wasn't moving!

"CAULI!"

Caulifla was shaken from her distracted thoughts at the sound of utter panic and terror in Goku's voice, looking in horror as she realized what he was screaming about. In her excitement she'd forgotten to do anything about the blast!

If she thought she was scared before, what happened next made her blood run cold when, without wasting time to think, Goku put his fingers to his forehead and vanished in an instant, at the same time reappearing in front of the terrified girl and putting his arms out in front of him. Caulifla felt her heart stop as she saw him suddenly in front of her, put himself in the way of the attack. Her bloodcurdling scream filled his ears as the attack connected, burning his hands on contact and threatening to send him down into the depths of the earth along with the terrified girl behind him.

Seeing her beautiful face twisted in horror in his mind, Goku squinted his eyes shut as a fierce roar escaped his throat, feeling a sudden surge of strength which he used to finally deflect the blast upwards and into space, the ear-ringing sound fading as the beam itself did. The tired Saiyan held his hands in front of him while he panted, feeling his adrenaline levels returning to normal.

When he felt his breathing finally return to normal, Goku lowered his arms and put a hand over his chest with a relieved sigh as he turned to face the strangely quiet girl behind him, "That was way too close. Are you ok, Ca-!" The older Saiyan was cut off with a grunt by a mess of spiky golden hair advancing on him, followed by a firm fist into his chest. And another. And another and another and another.

"YOU _IDIOT_!" Her furious voice rung through his ears with a pause, followed by another punch as he faltered back, "Idiot! Idiot! Idiot! Idiot!" She stopped her punches to look up at him with what looked like pure murder in her eyes, "Why the **hell** did you do that!?" She knew why he did what he did, but she did _not_ like being scared like that.

Goku could feel just how scared when he placed firm hands on her shoulders in an attempt to placate her. She was shaking pretty bad despite the angry glare she was giving him. He gave her a hard look back, "Do _what_? Save your life!?" He couldn't believe he even had to ask that. At that, Caulifla responded by tightly grabbing onto the front of his gi and all but shake him, "Yes!"

Goku just stared at her for a second like she'd grown a second head. Did she _want_ to die? His own grip on her shoulders tightened, "What kind of question is that, Cauli!?". She just continued to silently glare at him in response for a brief few seconds, her eyes full of a mix of anger and pain before she shut them tightly, "Just answer it!".

She knew it was ridiculous. She knew why he had done it. She knew she was ok. She knew _he_ was ok. Even if it wasn't directly his fault, she was still _furious_ that he'd scared her like that, and needed some way to calm herself down.

His answer was far more than she'd expected.

Goku tightened his grip on her shoulders as much as he could without hurting her, feeling the warmth of her tender skin in his hands, "Do you know how I became so strong, Cauli?" She continued to gaze silently at their feet, but was listening, "It's because _every_ big fight I've ever had, where I needed to become stronger, has either been to defend the planet or protect my family and friends!" He wasn't yelling, but his words held the stern tone of a teacher scolding a student.

As Goku's words reached her, Caulifla slowly lifted her now softer gaze into his fierce one. Though her trembling had died down, the intense look he gave her made her shiver, but she held his gaze as she listened to him, feeling herself calm down.

"You can only get so strong by fighting for yourself." At this, Goku had paused and began brushing his thumbs against the skin between her neck and shoulders as his expression softened. _'Ok, now I_ _ **know**_ _he does these things on purpose.'_ The Saiyan girl inwardly groaned and fought to hold her head up as his touch practically melted the muscles in her neck, keeping her hands on his gi now more for support.

Ok, so he won this one too. But her goal _was_ to calm herself down, and she'd consider herself pretty damn chill right now, so... tie?

She was also pretty sure she was about to start actually purring too.

Had her face not already been wearing what she'd consider a pout, she would've frowned at Goku when she felt his thumbs stop their wonderful work, but was reminded that he was still talking when he continued, "We get our true strength from protecting the people we care about." He smiled down at her with a small but firm shake to her shoulders as he finished, as if to emphasize his point.

That was it. One way or another, Chi-Chi would be looking for a new husband soon.

"You... care about me..?" Caulifla had breathed the words out in almost a careful whisper, as if saying them any louder would cause his own words to disappear. Though she knew Goku would never just allow something bad to happen to someone if he could help it, she hadn't expected him to word his answer... in a way that made her chest tighten and cause her to tighten her grip on his gi in childish retaliation.

But to this amazing man in front of her, it was as natural as breathing. He just blinked at her, again as if she'd grown a second head, before chuckling and moving a hand to comb through her spiky hair, "Of course I care about you! Part of the reason I was able to beat Jiren in the tournament was so I could bring you guys back!"

Had he not included the word "guys", his answer would've been perfect to her. But still, _'Close enough.'_ she couldn't help but smile at his antics as he continued to mess with her hair, eventually removing her hands from his gi while grabbing his arm to lift it before floating back from him.

Caulifla stopped a few feet away from the man in front of her, giving him a thoughtful look, "'Protect those you care about' huh? Sounds kinda cheesy." Her voice held a hint of tease, and though it did sound cheesy, the girl found her smile returning before it morphed to flash him a toothed grin, "I like it."

 _'I mean, you're kinda cheesy, and I like_ _ **you**_ _...'_ She didn't mind admitting it to herself, because it was true regardless of its meaning. If it was any clue, her shoulders still tingled from his touch...

"Ehehehe!" Goku could only chuckle while scratching his cheek in front of the other golden-haired Saiyan. Even he couldn't deny it, "Maybe, but it's true. There's nothing that compares to the strength you have when fighting to protect the ones you love." Though he regarded her with a lighthearted demeanor, Caulifla could tell he was serious, and that word sent a jolt straight to her heart.

 _'Ones you love...'_

As his words rung through her head, the image of Kale's timid yet adoring face appeared before her. She'd do anything to protect her younger sister - even do what her **idiot** mentor had just done. That thought caused her to nearly gasp when Kale's face faded to be replaced by Goku wearing that infectiously goofy yet warm smile

She couldn't deny what she was feeling, or what that image meant, when she saw it morph into the heartbreakingly pained expression Goku had with Frieza back at the tournament after she'd been wished back. She remembered the way Frieza's grip tightening around Goku's throat and how it made her own throat tighten, and how every blow the tyrant landed on his struggling body felt like a blow to her own heart, while she could only watch helplessly. If she hadn't-

Caulifla suddenly paused with a mental gasp. That's right! That was when she had awakened her new power! It wasn't when she was fighting Goku during the tournament. It was from the anger and terror of nearly watching him d- _'No!'_ She cut herself off with a possibly visible shake of the head and focused her gaze on the man in front of her.

The younger Saiyan reached up to touch her chest with the tips of her fingers as his words fully sank in. Goku was right. He was here. He was alive (she'd practically felt every inch of him by now to confirm that, a thought which nearly made her blush), and though Goku was still unaware of it, it was because of her, and she couldn't deny the sudden strength she found from it.

And that's when she noticed that the object of her current musings was staring at her with a look that made her almost believe she was in a coma, "Uh... Cauli..?". For a second the girl regarded him as though his words were foreign, before she immediately blanched, _'Have I been staring at him the whole time!?'_ She could already feel heat rising to her cheeks and just continued to stare at him with her mouth agape as she tried to think of something to say.

Then an idea struck her.

Goku's confusion at the girl in front of him only grew as he watched her expression continue to change, until she settled with turning her back to him while giving him a playful and almost sultry look over her shoulder, flashing a sly smile that meant trouble, "Sorry senpai. Something tasty must've caught my eye and distracted me." And without waiting for a response, she began to fly off while giggling/laughing to herself at the face she got in response.

The look on his face was indeed priceless as he stared at her retreating form, before laughing to himself after realizing what she'd done and promptly giving chase, _'Ok, I guess I had that one coming.'_ The satisfied smile on his face was quickly vanquished in favor of a startled sound when the the image of Caulifla faded, only for her to appear in front of him with a fist aimed for his jaw, a fist he deflected with his hand while retaliating with his own.

The two Saiyans continued to trade blow with each other in the air, either blocking or dodging them completely, both vanishing for a few seconds to reappear when their fists or knees would clash, creating a powerful shockwave that rattled the earth with each powerful blow.

Their eyes never left each other's the entire time.

"You're gonna have to teach me how you did that attack back there!" Caulifla couldn't hide the excitement in her voice as she threw another punch, which Goku blocked before moving her fist from in front of his face to reveal a challenging smirk, "One thing at a time, Cauli. First let's see how you do **here!** " His voice rose to a shout with his last word, filling his fists with energy as he began to spin, catching the Saiyan girl off guard as the force of his energy-covered fist knocked her back with a surprised squeak. As she flew, Goku continued to spiral in place while releasing first one ki blast and then the other to chase her down.

 _'I've seen this before!'_ The image of Goku using this same strategy was still fresh in her memory, and she was more than prepared for the followup ki blasts as she leveled herself while coming to a sudden stop to reach out and catch his blasts with outstretched hands. Without wasting any time for Goku to recover from his surprise, she bolted toward him with his energy in hand and a wickedly devious grin, _'Tell me if this looks familiar to you, senpai~!'_ The word rang in her head as she giggled silently to herself, the yellow orbs of energy in her hands morphing into much larger red ones before she began to spin just like Goku had, only she allowed the energy to trail in her hands to form two very familiar whips, but much larger and red this time.

Goku made a stunned sound as his eyes widened to match, _'That looks like-'_ "GUAH!" His thought was cut off when Caulifla suddenly shot toward him at blinding speed while pivoting to slam the energy into his forearms - which he'd managed to raise just in time - and send him flying back while she continued to pivot to slam the second ribbon of red energy into him, which sent him further back while breaking his guard. Caulifla could feel her own excitement rise from gaining the upper hand on Goku with his own attack, before giving chase with the two trails of energy still in-hand.

Her heart began to beat faster as both her excitement and her smirk grew, the feeling she had when she had first transformed into Super Saiyan 3 flooding in to fill her veins with fire and seemingly slow down time for her. Sharpening her eyes with a shout, the small Saiyan girl erupted with a sudden burst of energy that shook the entire landmass beneath them. Clouds shifted rapidly in the sky as her hair grew to match her rising power, and her energy began to pulse loudly as if her own body was unable to contain it.

Goku only had a split second to notice her transformation, but it was enough for her to see his awestruck expression which made her heart soar, before she shot toward him with a burst of speed that was accompanied by a powerful sonicboom, wearing a proud smile as she regarded her mentor, _'I'm not finished yet, Goku!'_ Pulling her arms back, she combined the two ribbons of energy into one giant blast to his chest.

Unable to recover or defend against her sudden increase in power, the Saiyan male made a cry of pain as he was sent flying into the ground at an angle, forming a long crater as he slid across the ground, before finally skidding to a stop at the base of one of the large rock formations in a small cloud of dust. Caulifla wasn't far behind as she gave chase, ready to deliver the winning blow on that smug face of his.

A blow that never came.

The Saiyan girl's blood ran cold when she got a glimpse of Goku back in base form. He was limp and... that _familiar_ pained look on his face. It was a sudden flash, but one that made her falter and her heart stop as those horrible memories and images returned to haunt her.

 _She heard the tyrant chuckle darkly as he twisted his fist in deeper, eliciting a further silent pained response from the target of his ire as he sat so pathetically below him. Finally loosening his fist from Goku's gut, the Saiyan made a desperate heartbreaking gasp for breath as air returned to him, coughing again and again in response until he felt Frieza's cold grip of steel tighten around his throat, lifting the Saiyan up in front of him._

 _Caulifla felt her body inwardly shaking just as Goku's was visibly shaking. This was terrifying. Both Frieza's power and the bloodthirsty malice behind it were palpable, something she'd never felt before._

 _She looked into Goku's eyes, one squinted as he struggled to break Frieza's grip. She'd never seen that expression on him before, but she was sure she probably looked even more terrified. What was about to happen..._

 _Goku flinched and grunted in pain as Frieza began to land repeated punches into his unprotected stomach, relishing in the pain he was causing before being able to finally finish his hated enemy off. This was something he'd only dreamed of, if his sick dark laughter was any indication._

 _"Oh how I've_ _ **waited**_ _for this moment for so long!" He exclaimed with a sinister mirth as his latest punch had caused Goku to cough up a spatter of blood while struggling not to choke on the blood that hadn't managed to escape his clenched throat._

Frieza's voice rang clearly in her ears with the same bloodthirsty glee she'd heard before. Her memories of Goku making her body begin to shake just like she had back then. She didn't wanna hear any more. She didn't wanna see any more. She didn't wanna remember any more of that awful fight that was now causing her eyes to blur with unshed tears that obscured her vision of the man she was about to collide with.

 _She looked back over, and every part of her being became cold as ice when she saw Frieza with his finger pointed at Goku's heart; a small red ball of energy at its tip._

 _"You're not gonna take this from me. Even if you were strong enough to destroy me, you're too far away for that to reach me in time." Frieza's gaze hardened as he steeled himself to shove his ball of death straight through Goku's chest._

To say Goku was shocked would be an understatement. He'd just witnessed Caulifla become a Super Saiyan 3 right before his eyes, and though that blast of hers had hurt, he couldn't help but also feel a huge sense of pride in the girl.

 _'Heh. I didn't see that one coming. She's gotten so much stronger than when I first met her.'_

Goku wanted to congratulate the girl for what he considered a fair victory, seeing that he could still barely move. However, when he cracked an eye open, his vision was met with a mess of black spiky hair followed by a soft thud as Caulifla landed on top of him and buried her face into his chest while tightly fisting the sides of his gi in her hands.

 _That_ wasn't what he was expecting, nor was it when she just continued to hold him in that position. Something was wrong. Whatever Goku had moved to ask her was cut off when he felt Caulifla's shoulders jerk with a whimper against his chest, his body stiffening under her when it was followed by an even louder one, before a sudden single sob wracked her small frame.

She was crying?

Tear stains started forming on Goku's gi as the small girl began to sob violently on top of the confused Saiyan, keeping her face against his chest as she let all of her pain spill out. The male Saiyan felt a pang hit his heart every time her breath would hitch and cause her to spasm on top of him followed by a loud sniffle.

"Cauli, what's wrong!?" Goku was beginning to panic now as Caulifla continued to cry against him with reckless abandon. Against the scream protests of his sore body, he grunted and slowly moved to wrap his arms around her delicate shoulders, feeling his chest tighten as he did.

She was shaking violently.

Caulifla's tear-filled eyes were squinted shut as she buried her face in Goku's chest and desperately clung to him in fear that he'd disappear from under her if she let him go. The image of Goku gasping for breath as Frieza squeezed his throat; Choking on his own blood when the tyrant continued driving his fist into his stomach; Hanging limp in Frieza's grip as the cold alien looked on with murderous rapture as he moved to shove that ball of death into Goku's chest...

It was over, but they wouldn't stop haunting her! They wouldn't stop playing out in her dreams!

Wouldn't stop threatening to take him away...

Caulifla just ignored Goku's concerned questions for the moment, merely finding comfort from the feel of his arms around her and the sound of his voice as she let it all out. Squeezing herself against him tighter, she shifted to nuzzle her face against the part of his chest directly over his heart, feeling herself calming down more as she heard it beating against her ear.

By this point Goku had given up trying to get her to talk and instead just continued to hold the small girl in his arms as her sobs slowly died down. The match was over anyway, and he found himself enjoying this use of his hands on her _far_ more than fighting, even though he'd offer to go a round against her in a heartbeat, _'Should I ask what happened? I don't wanna pry if it's something personal.'_

Had she been able to hear his thoughts, he'd have felt her smile with a weak chuckle against him at his "stupidity". Instead, her thoughts were focused elsewhere as her breathing had calmed down to only a small sniffle now and then.

 _'Protect the ones you love...'_ Again Frieza's menacing face flashed before her, staring coldly into her eyes before turning to the orange-clad Saiyan in his grip.

With a steely resolve, the Saiyan girl finally managed to will the image away, only to be replaced by-

 _'The ones_ _ **I**_ _love...'_ Caulifla unconsciously tightened her grip around Goku, pressing her body against him and feeling a pleasant electric pang strike her heart when his own heart jumped against her ear.

How many times has she been in similar intimate contact with Goku since coming to Earth? She mentally shook her head at the question. A better question was, how many **more** times would she _like_ to?

Despite the compromising position the two Saiyans currently held each other in, she didn't mind one bit. But she needed to face him, so with a final calming breath, she moved her hands to his chest to gently lift herself off, feeling Goku's arms slacken enough for her to come to a familiar straddling position on his hips while his hands rested on her own hips.

This was also a position she didn't mind, but had a harder time ignoring, so it was lucky that her face was already red from crying. Gently wiping the tears from her eyes with a final soft sniffle, Caulifla give him a sheepish smile while he stared back in uncertainty, both silently trying to decide who should speak first.

"Sorry." It was Caulifla who spoke first, her voice almost a whisper as she searched for a response to what just happened. Her face then lit up and she placed her hands back on Goku's chest to lean over him slightly, "All this training and talk about delicious things made me hungry again, and there's no food in sight!" A playful smile had dance across her features before it morphed into a fake pout as she finished.

The look on Goku's face told her he wasn't buying it, but the sudden rumble that erupted from both of their stomachs a second later caused them both burst into a fit of laughter.

Even if it was a lie, she was right. They _were_ both Saiyans, after all.

Saiyans got _very_ hungry. _All_ the time.

As their laughter died down, Caulifla had shifted herself from Goku's hips to stand up while reaching to help the winded Saiyan to his feet as well. He responded by placing his hands on his knees to release a loud huff while looking up at her, "I can't say no to that. I'm starving now after that number you did on me!"

She didn't need to be reminded.

She could feel her face begin to fall, but was unable to help a small smile when he flashed her a toothed grin to assure her that he was ok. She still didn't need the memory, though. "I mean it. I'm really proud of you." His hand found its place ruffling her hair again, and she didn't bother to remove it as he continued, "Seeing you turn Super Saiyan 3 for the first time was the highlight of my day."

 _'Not quite first, but close enough.'_ Still she held a prideful grin at her mentor's praise, "That's because I have the strongest man of all the universes as my teacher!" The assertion and confidence in her voice made him chuckle as he removed his hand from her hair to scratch his cheek.

It wasn't exactly a lie, and she'd rather not bring up those awful events that prompted her first transformation. Not if she could help it anyway.

 _'Not quite strongest, but close enough.'_ Was his first thought, "Maybe, but your teacher needs food to stay strong, and so do you." Came his actual response with a soft poke to her sternum, making Caulifla's heart skip at the contact. He _had_ to have felt that one. She looked down to where his hand had been as he passed her, before turning to follow in tow.

Caulifla kept her eyes trained on Goku's back as they walked away from the rubble, those horrible images from before playing themselves out in her mind. Before they could cause any further damage, the Saiyan male's words from before rang through to disrupt those images as she closed her eyes and shook them away entirely. She opened them to gaze at the man in front of her with a soft yet determined expression, filled with new resolve _'I'm never gonna let anyone hurt you again.'_

She then took a long calming breath as her heart began to race at the unconscious thought she'd been avoiding for so long. One she could no longer deny as those images were replaced by memories of all the moments they'd shared so far.

 _'Because I love you.'_

A second later, the two were only a couple of specs in the air as they flew back to their campsite.

"So what's on the menu, senpai?"

"Fish, of course!"

" _More_ fish?"

"I mean, unless you want a **bear** or something."

"..."

"Cauli..?"

"I'm thinking!"

"Geez! I was kidding!"

"... idiot."

"What?"

"Nothing~" _'Sorry._ _ **My**_ _idiot.'_

* * *

 **And there you have it! This was after the first slump I felt when writing the last chapter, and then felt re-energized when I read my older chapters and started off with that style. I can't promise that the later chapters will be quite like this. They'll probably be more akin to the latter half of this chapter and the two chapters before I think.  
**

 **Anyway here we see Caulifla becoming more bold with her actions after having that talk with her Vados-self, with her embracing her feelings more. At the same time, the moment from last chapter also caused Goku to start to see her differently too. Maybe differently isn't the right word. She definitely caught his attention even in the canon Super (even if not in THAT way), but coupled with his subvert feelings towards Chi-Chi and the impression Caulifla's left on him... this I think is where the relationship feels more natural.**

 **Probably would've made it better if I had this part happen a day later, and readers can imagine it did too, but they wouldn't pass up the chance to spar xP**


	12. Chapter 12

**Ok, so as a warning, this is the chapter (or possibly one of them, can't say xP) that made me give this fic an M rating, so... bit of a lemon ahead.**

 **If you wanted to read a lemon and also wanted to be surprised by it... then forget I said that. There's no lemon here!**

* * *

It was about mid afternoon when the two had returned back to their "home". Or at least, Caulifla had considered it "their" home, especially compared to what was waiting for Goku at his house. She'd been sitting on one of the larger rocks by the riverside not far from the campsite. After having had a Senzu Bean (much to her amazement at the magical food), Goku told her he was going to catch some fish, and the curious little feline couldn't help but wanna watch as he dove and splashed around in the water in an attempt to land his prize.

It had nothing to do with the fact that she might've been _curious_ to see him in his boxers (if he wore them). So it was _definitely **not**_ to her disappointment that he'd only taken off the orange part of his shirt. Because that would've meant that she'd been hoping for it, and she wasn't hoping. She was just _curious_.

Cu-ri-ous.

The small girl swung her feet idly back and forth as they dangled from her rock while giggling to herself as she watched yet another fish slip out of Goku's hands and cause him to fall back into the water with a splutter.

It was a wonder that he'd caught those fish before at all, but then how many men could catch fish _that_ big with their bare hands?

She shifted her gaze from the endearing man across from her, down to her lap and smiled to herself as her mind went through every moment the two of them had shared so far. All of the constant electric sensations she'd felt with (or _from_ ) him in some way. Every time he'd scared her or made her angry for all the right reasons.

A sly smile crept along her lips and she turned her mischievous gaze back at Goku as an idea struck her, _'Time for a little fun and... another memory...'_ If Vados could see her now...

Somewhere back in Universe 6, a certain blue Angel suddenly sneezed into her bowl of cereal.

With catlike stealth, Caulifla slid from her rock and silently tiptoed her way around the trees and bushes that lined the river's edge as she made her way to a more secluded spot out of view from where her mentor was currently "fishing". Stepping up to the water, she dipped a toe in to gauge its temperature, feeling goosebumps form as the chilly sensation traveled up her leg and throughout her body.

' _This is gonna be cold as fuck when I get out.'_ Her face then blanked with a tinge of pink as another thought popped into her head, _'Or I could strip so my clothing stays dry...'_ The look on Goku's face would be priceless, but the look on her own face probably did too right now, as she imagined what he might _do_ to her if she did...

All the places he could _touch_...

Apparently she didn't have goosebumps before, because now she _definitely_ felt them crawl over her skin with a shiver. The thought was exciting, but instead Caulifla opted to keep things PG and spare the man his composure as she silently slipped herself into the water to find her prey...

Said prey was currently dusting his hands off with a satisfied grin after having thrown yet another large fish off to the side of the riverbank to join the two he'd already caught. Maybe a _man_ couldn't catch anything that big with their bare hands, but a _Saiyan_ could.

Goku gave a satisfied look over to the pile fish he'd managed to create, _'Should be enough for at least a few hours. That girl can eat just as much as me!'_ He couldn't help but stifle a grin at the thought. The two of them were so similar to one another; A fact he regarded fondly. However, he felt a small frown appear when he shifted his gaze over to the rock said girl had been sitting, only to find her nowhere in sight.

"Cauli?" Sharp onyx eyes began to dart around for any trace of the girl, his voice rising a pitch in panic "Cauli, where are you?" Had someone taken her or... No. _'She's probably just warming herself up by the fire.'_

Goku found out how wrong he was when - just as he was about to get out of the water to go join her by the fire - he was suddenly jerked back by _something_ tugging on his pants in the water. The force was enough to cause him to take a step back with a surprised sound, _'What the-!?'_ Before he could turn around to face what he assumed to be a big fish, Caulifla leapt up from the water behind him to drape her arms over his shoulders and grin sweetly yet wickedly into his ear.

"Caught you, senpai~!"

He only had time to feel a shiver run down his spine from her warm breath against his ear before she hooked her arms loosely around his neck and dragged him back down into the water with her, her giggles silenced only when the two of them had submerged completely.

Under the surface, Goku had managed to free himself from her admittedly comfortable embrace and began to chase her retreating form through the water. She released a cloud of bubbles in a silent laugh when he grabbed her by the ankle to pull her to him, and the two wrestled for dominance before separating and resurfacing a few feet from each other.

"Huh. I thought you were too hungry to keep training right now." Goku teased the small panting girl in front of him, his own breaths coming out heavy. Like him, her eyes were shining with mirth, "Oh please. You were having so much trouble that I just _had_ to join in and help you." Her voice held even more tease while she flashed him a sly smile and narrowed her eyes with delight, "I must've mistook you for a fish."

That did it. Caulifla found herself laughing when Goku merely gave her a look and responded by splashing her with a small Saiyan-generated tidal wave while diving after her when she'd submerged with it, beginning the chase again.

A few bubbles could be seen surfacing whenever one would catch to the other and wrestle to get a firm hold on their cunning opponent. At one point Goku had felt his blue undershirt being removed in the ensuing chaos of flailing limbs and wandering hands, and was having a hard time believing it was by "accident". The mischievous look he swore she'd given him under the water after he'd felt his shirt disappear was evidence enough.

Yeah. She was loving this, _'I wonder if I could "accidentally" remove those pants of his too, since-'_ Caulifla's devious thought was cut off with another sudden release of laughter-filled bubbles when she felt Goku's grip tighten around her ankle a second time, not bothering to fight this time when she felt him pull her in to face him while wrapping his arms around her waist. That sensation, coupled with Goku's playfully-grinning face now inches from hers, made her feel lightheaded as he brought them both to the surface with a huge splash and landed on the riverbank with her.

Caulifla was lying her back with her arms over her head, panting as she watched Goku through half lidded eyes. He was leaning over her with a hand planted on either side of her shoulders for support, and the look he was giving her made her blush as she felt his eyes roaming over her supine body.

Goku could only gulp as he took in the delicate creature underneath him, _'She looks...'_ Beads of water covered her exposed body and her tube top clung to her breasts like a second skin, revealing either how cold or... _excited_ she was with the clear outline of hard nipples, all adorning a slender chest that rose and fell with each heavy breath. Already he could feel his heart pounding and his pants tightening against his will as he took in the adorable blush on her face which held a permissive look, as if silently telling him to do whatever he wants.

 _'...beautiful.'_

Caulifla could feel jolt after electric jolt play with her heart as her mentor continued to stare at her with that... that _look._ Her mouth formed a coy smile while eying him with catlike playfulness and curiosity, "What's wrong, senpai~?" Her breathy voice sang out as a purr between heavy pants, "Something tasty caught your eye again~?"

That did it. Goku leaned in and small Saiyan girl let out a sharp gasp when she felt his tongue against her collarbone, leaving a trail of fire as he lapped up every drop of water from her soft exposed skin. He shifted to pin her hands to the ground above her head with his own, lacing his fingers between hers while she tilted her head back when his tongue found its way up the side of her neck, swirling it around against her pulse point.

Caulifla whimpered softly as she felt him continue to taste the vulnerable skin of her neck, unconsciously tilting her head to the side to give him more access, _'I-is this really happening!?'_ She couldn't do anything to fight the deep blush that now burned her face, nor to control her ragged breaths as her heart pounded in her chest from Goku's daring actions. A sudden cry escaped her lips when Goku began sucking on her delicate pulse point, causing her breath to hitch (along with her heart) while she squirmed under him and fought to free her own hands from his in order to throw her arms around his shoulders and pull him closer.

 _'How long have I been wanting to do this for?'_ Goku questioned himself while listening to her beautiful cries of bliss as he practically devoured her neck, feeling her arch against him and throw her head back when he gently sank his teeth in just enough to leave a lasting mark while sucking harder to turn that spot a dark red. A mark of possession she would proudly wear.

"S-senpai... _Goku_!" She breathed his name in another sharp gasp when she felt him press a knee between her legs, causing her body to jerk from the sudden contact and for his mouth to pull wonderfully on her sensitive neck. She was coming undone underneath him and wanted nothing more than for him to continue until she was nothing. The desperate cry of his name sent a wonderful pang to his heart and spurred him on as he began to teasingly grind his knee against her covered sex, causing the small object of his desires to writhe underneath him with a loud shameless moan.

Images of Chi-Chi flashed in front of his mind's eye for a brief moment before another beautiful rapturous moan tore them asunder and replaced them with images of the small angelic creature he was currently worshiping. His teeth retreated from the soft skin of her neck while he used his tongue to trace every deep tooth mark between his lips, before finally releasing her neck from his mouth, smiling with satisfaction at the red saliva-covered spot lined with teeth marks that she now wore.

He had half a mind to do the same to the other side of her neck, but the the small groan of protest she'd made when his mouth had left her skin drew his attention to her lips.

Those soft tempting lips.

Without giving it any more thought, the Saiyan male leaned in to capture her tender lips in his own, feeling her release a surprised gasp into his mouth that stole some of his air before she responded by tilting her head to deepen the kiss. He couldn't help the smirk that formed as he molded his lips against hers, _'You really **do** take my breath away.'_

 _'Best. Idea. Ever.'_ Was Caulifla's only coherent thought as their lips continued their dance, releasing more soft whimpers into his mouth the more his knee continued to tease her so mercilessly. Her body arched helplessly to press itself against his own and soon she felt his hands release hers to slide along her arms and trace every contour of her skin, allowing her to do the same as her delicate fingers glided their way up to his shoulders.

Her grip tightened with a loud moan against his lips when his hands had snaked their way under her tube top to play with her breasts, with her squeezing his shoulders the way he squeezed her tender mounds in his gentle yet firm grip. Mischievous thumbs began to roll her hardened nipples in small circles, which caused her to see stars behind her closed lids, releasing another moan into the Saiyan male's mouth and giving him the opportunity to slide a curious tongue in to taste her moist cavern.

It was a different kind of battle, one Caulifla enjoyed thoroughly as their bodies ground against each other. All those wonderful things he was doing to her, all these warm electric sensations... She wanted _more_. Her heart fluttered from the sense of desire Goku was showing for her as he helped himself to her writhing body. She wanted to bite her lip as Goku's thumbs continued to brush against her sensitive nipples without mercy, but her tongue was currently locked in mortal combat with his own, fighting for dominance with an unwillingness to give in.

Caulifla relished her victory with a small frown and a whimper of protest when she felt the warmth of Goku's lips leave hers. It was short lived before she sucked in a sharp breath at the sensation of him lifting her tube top from her breasts completely to swirl his tongue around one of her deliciously hardened nipples. Unlike her tongue, her tiny bud was completely defenseless against Goku's voracious onslaught and she found her nails digging into his back when her took her nipple into his mouth to suck on it with a hunger that made her toes curl. The hand that had been replaced with his mouth shifted to squeeze and massage her breast in a tender milking motion that made the poor girl mewl in pleasure and hook her knee around his own.

 _'Oh my god!'_ Caulifla had no qualm with gasping loudly when she felt Goku's teeth scrape and chew against her sensitive nipple, tilting her head back further while arching her back more in an attempt to press her breast further into his starving mouth, _'If Chi-... that woman really wants to give this up, she's not getting it back.'_ She didn't want this to end, and couldn't help the disapproving groan that escaped her lips when she felt Goku's hands leave her breasts to cradle her arched back and hold her in that position, while simultaneously releasing her now angry red nipple with a wet pop and shifting himself up to hold his face to hers, digging his knee into her crotch in the process to morph her groan into another pleasure-filled moan as she eyed the man forcing these wonderful sounds from her.

"Goddamn... _tease_." The small Saiyan breathed against Goku's smirking lips while holding a small smile of her own. The Saiyan male held his position, with his lips an inch from hers much like she'd done to him earlier, before his smirk grew into a cocky and playful grin, "You're right. Something _tasty_ indeed.". She felt his own breath on her lips as he spoke, before feeling him softly glide his tongue against them and causing her to let out a single soft giggle, "Smartass." She was about to tell him to shut up and kiss her, but decided instead to just claim his lips for her own, catching his tongue between her teeth before sucking it in to have another battle with hers.

Their bodies continued to grind against each other, filling the air with both soft and loud grunts and moans of pure pleasure and bliss, continuing their battle to see which would suffer the first heart attack with how hard the little muscles hammered in their chests. Caulifla hadn't noticed when one of Goku's hands left her back until she felt his fingers dancing under the waistline of her harem pants. She whimpered softly against his lips with one hand moving to cradle the back of his head so he couldn't pull away, while the other found its way down to her hips to help him slide the restricting material down her thighs, while doing the same for his.

It was Goku's turn to steal some air back from Caulifla's lungs when he felt her fingers instinctively move to wrap around his now hard member, which elicited a low moan from her as she imagined what was about to happen with it. She could already feel herself gently guiding him towards her moist entrance, shivering as she felt his tip twitch between the edge of her parting folds.

Before going any further, Goku fought briefly to release his lips from her own as she tilted her head forward to keep the connection, before finally allowing him to break from her with a small frown, but she felt her heart melt from the look of concern and compassion he was giving her. She gingerly bit her lip with a shudder when she felt him inch himself further inside her, "Are you ready?" His voice came out as more of a statement than a question, but still he waited patiently for her confirmation.

"For longer than you know." Her voice was but a ragged breath, but it was all he needed to hear. His arms moved to brace her shoulders from underneath before thrusting himself deep inside her, and all she saw was white.

 _'H-huh..?'_ The young _fully-clothed_ Saiyan girl blinked up into Goku's own bright orbs after the white faded. He was wearing the exact same look of confusion and disorientation that she felt right now. Her heart was pounding in her chest and her breathing was heavy and ragged, but they were both in the same position as when they first emerged from the water, his breath also heavy.

Memories of the events before flooded her mind and made her blush more deeply and, if her pants weren't already soaked with water, she was sure they'd be feeling damp regardless. She reached up to touch the spot on her neck where Goku had lovingly bit her and essentially claimed her as his own, only to feel a wave of disappointment as she found her skin to be free of the mark she'd been planning to wear from now on.

 _'Did I imagine that? But-' '-it felt so real!'_

Goku could still practically taste her skin on his lips, a taste he'd found himself becoming quite addicted to. He found himself looking at this delicate flower beneath him in a different light. Where had that even come from?

He then noticed that he was still staring at her, and she staring back at him. If he didn't know any better, he'd swear her eyes were dark with the same lust that he was currently coming down from, or at least trying to come down from.

Neither blushing Saiyan dared say a word to each other until they felt (and heard) another soft rumbling in their stomachs. It didn't help them forget what had just... not happened, but it was enough of an ice-breaker when the male Saiyan on top flashed her a sheepish smile followed by a small toothed grin.

"C'mon, Cauli. All this fun has made me starving." And with that, he lifted himself off of her while helping the now-smiling-but-still-blushing girl to her feet.

"Yeah... starving's a good word." She breathed out, her smile widening into a grin of her own before she ran off to the campfire with Goku playfully chasing the girl in tow, who then promptly skidded to a halt and about-faced when he realized he'd forgotten the fish, causing Caulifla to stifle a giggle behind her hand.

She watched him with a fond smile as he scooped the fish and his shirts up with one sweep, her entire body still tingling as if his touch had been real, _'I definitely wouldn't mind trying that out for real.'_

Somewhere in the back of his mind, her beloved mentor had a similar thought.

* * *

 **Ok, I know. Sorry that it didn't _actually_ happen! I hadn't even intended to write a lemon in this chapter, but as I wrote it... I couldn't help myself. It actually works out. So what this was wasn't just a daydream each had that just happened to be the same. This was more of a shared mental experience between two connected minds... similar to how characters can talk telepathically and things of that nature. The mind is harder to control than the body, which would make Goku doing something like this more believable (since he's still with Chi-Chi at the moment). But it further instills those feelings within him, causing him to see her even more in the way she sees him.  
**

 **Plus I thought everything leading up to it was so cute x) The last chapter had been a "second wind" for me when I first fell into my slump, and this was still riding on that wind.**

 **Also reading through these chapters and fixing them up has helped me touch up bits of the second last chapter... or the last chapter depending on how I wanna construct it. The one before that is the only one that would need the most work now.**


	13. Chapter 13

**Ok so for this chapter, all I'm gonna say is cue the music!**

 **You'll know what music I mean xP**

 ** **I've also gotten a few complaints about the inclusion of Super Saiyan 4, and it's kinda understandable. It's not in Super, or in Z. That's kinda why I brought it in. It's unexpected. To Caulifla, it's even more mysterious. It is an inherent Saiyan power that doesn't require god ki. And while it's not canon, neither is this fic, if we're using that logic. SS4 is by far the most unique and interesting form for how distinct it is, even if I'm not a fan of GT, though personally SS3 is my favorite. True that SG and SSG are more powerful (at least I think, though SS4 doesn't have a multiplier to go on, so unless I'm missing something it's actually impossible to say which is stronger since both come from different canon universes), but power is not why I introduced it for this fic.  
****

 ** **I introduced it because it's visually interesting and distinct, while visually SG and SSG are (IMO) kinda... not "lame" exactly, but very underwhelming. Like... even SS4 didn't look as powerful as SS2 if we're going by their visual displays, but at least it's _far_ more creative than Saiyan God and Super Saiyan God. Hell, even Super Saiyan 2 feels more creative. SG and SSG to me just feel like reskins.****

 ** **So, while I'm not saying none of them make an appearance here, it _is_ why I don't feel that inspired to use them. Because - while they're not terrible - the forms feel uninspired themselves.****

* * *

Caulifla again found herself staring down Goku over the crater-scarred battlefield that they'd molded the wasteland into with their last sparring match. After the two had eaten in _mostly_ comfortable silence (sans for slight awkwardness from the _experience_ at the river that they'd both unknowingly shared), Goku had taken the eager girl back out for more training.

Memories, images, and sensations from before still haunted her senses in all the right ways, but she steeled herself to keep them in check for now. She would have plenty of time to go over them _in_ _detail_ later.

 _Or_ create an opportunity to live them out...

"Alright, you ready for round two?" Goku's challenging voice broke her from her thoughts, nearly making her blush before she realized he was talking about sparring and not... "I'm _always_ ready for another round with you, senpai." She shot back confidently while putting her hands on her hips.

She didn't need to explain to him _all_ the ways she'd meant that. In the back of his mind, he'd even been thinking the same thing, "Alright, but try not to get distracted this time." He gave her a teasing smirk as he got down into his familiar battle stance.

Caulifla simply hovered in front of Goku for a second and watched him. The images from that erotic experience before had caused her thoughts to shift back to when she'd felt a similar feeling, back during his fight with Frieza. Back when he had used _that_ form.

"Goku?" Her voice came out a bit more tentatively, causing him to perk up as if it had come out of the blue, "I was actually wondering if... you could show all of your Saiyan forms for me?" _'I know there's one that you're hiding, and I wanna see it again!'_

There was a palpable silence as the male Saiyan considered her request. He didn't know she'd already seen it, but he couldn't say no to the eagerness in her voice. She'd already come so far and gone beyond to completely reshape his expectations. Though she initially wanted to learn how to become a Super Saiyan Blue, there were still steps that were required for her to obtain it.

He supposed it was time to show her the next level.

Goku straightened himself in the air while giving her a firm nod and a broad smile, "Alright. I guess you deserve that much." He saw her face immediately light up while he continued, "First we'll start with the basics. Tell me to stop if you wanna take notes."

Caulifla merely rolled her eyes with a smirk at his light joke, "I'll keep that in mind. Not like a prodigy like me will need to." Though behind her bravado, she was anxious with anticipation.

Her response was merely met with a fit of chuckles from Goku at her enthusiasm. But he was excited too. Excited to show his new pupil the next form of Saiyan power, one she could obtain on her own without any god ki.

The girl in front of him watched his grin grow even wider as memories of his time with Babidi and Majin Buu came flooding back to him.

This was gonna be fun.

"You're going to love this, trust me." He began to quote himself, to the girl's mild confusion, but still held her interest all the same, "What you're seeing now is my normal state." Without batting an eye, his body was suddenly engulfed in a golden aura of energy with spiky golden hair to match.

"This is a Super Saiyan." Came his nonchalant response. She didn't know exactly what he was doing, but she found his presentation all the more exciting as her tension built.

"This-" She saw his body flex ever-so-slightly as the aura of energy around him became larger, louder, and more erratic, forming all-too-familiar arcs of electricity while the formation of his spiky hair changed just as slightly, " **This** is what is known as a Super Saiyan who has ascended past a Super Saiyan!" His voice held a bit more intensity to it to match the more intense look in his eyes, before he flashed her what she considered an alluring smirk.

"Or... you could call this a Super Saiyan 2."

She wasn't sure if it was the look he was giving her or the thought of what was to come that was making her heart begin to race.

"And _**this**_..." But she _knew_ the goosebumps that were now forming on her arms were coming from the sheer ferocity in his voice as he tensed up and began to channel a tremendous amount of power, "... is... to go... even further... **BEYOND**!"

She'd seen him become a Super Saiyan 3 before, twice. And had even done so herself, twice. However, his scream that followed was so full of power and raw... emotion, that it compelled those same feelings within _her_. The air around her was beginning to vibrate and tear more of the mountains beneath them apart.

It had felt intense the first two times, but she'd never felt him transform while at full power. She found herself taken aback as his power continued to rise well beyond what she had felt when she'd transformed earlier.

Was it because they were on planet Earth and not in the realm of the gods? Because - and maybe she hadn't noticed when she had briefly transformed - it really _did_ look like time itself was speeding up with the way the clouds shifted in the sky.

They weren't even on the ground and she could feel it shaking!

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Like his hair, the passion and fire in his voice kept growing as he continued his soul-shattering scream, like a volcano on the verge of erupting. It felt as if his very scream were tearing the planet apart. Caulifla's eyes widened at the man who looked and sounded like a literal god in front of her. Not only did it look more so than his Super Saiyan Blue form, but it _felt_ stronger too, _'Is this really the same man I fought before!?'_

How exhausted could he have been during the tournament, for **this** to right now feel stronger than Super Saiyan Blue had? Or... had he been holding back against her?

Despite being a Saiyan herself, she had a bit to learn about Zenkai.

Reaching deep within himself, Goku bellowed as though he were pouring his entire heart and soul into this transformation. His aura of energy was becoming far more unstable, with a loud rhythmic pulse that generated even more concentrated arcs of electricity. Despite herself, Caulifla couldn't help but smirk proudly at her mentor and object of affection.

 _'Showoff.'_

She had to admit that she liked the way his energy tickled her skin.

His long scream finally ended with a blinding flash of light as his transformation finished. More pronounced arcs of electricity fizzled from his body and the warmth of his energy could be felt even from the distance between them. What got her, though, was the sharp piercing stare he was giving her that held a trace of his warm smile, "Sorry that took so long." His voice came out hoarse and gruff, though not from his earth-shattering scream, "This is what I call a Super Saiyan 3."

He wasn't sorry. He was loving her reaction to the "show".

Recovering from her stupor at the unexpected-yet-not-unwelcome display he'd put on, Caulifla gave him a wide grin and a light snicker in response, "And after seeing it twice already, I'd say it's still pretty damn impressive." She then felt herself gulp.

 _'Here it comes...'_ She could hardly control her heart as it thumped more loudly in her chest than the pulsing energy radiating off of Goku.

The Saiyan male's subtle smirk grew a bit wider before resuming a more lax stance in the air, "But there is one more form that far surpasses all other natural Saiyan forms." He finished while tensing himself back into position, his stance even wider than before.

" _This_ one comes from even deeper within." If it were possible, his voice became even more gruff and guttural than before. She could practically feel herself shaking with anticipation, _'If his Super Saiyan 3 felt **this** much more intense than last time, then...'_

More memories came flooding back as the current moment began to blend with them. She watched his hair revert back to normal and his golden aura vanish, but his power only continued to rise while the electricity crackling around him became louder and more violent.

Instead of a loud scream, Goku began to bellow through gritted teeth as his eyes became wider and looked more violent. He started visibly shaking with a tremendous wave of energy that Caulifla could feel vibrate every fiber of every muscle in her body.

The same _intoxicating_ sensation from before.

The clouds above began to darken, followed by the booming roar of thunder that shook the air around them while vicious bolts of lightning struck down to lacerate the wasteland below. As Goku's power continued to rise, enormous arcs of electricity began to lash out from him and tear through any incoming lightning bolts, while others shot down and scoured the quaking landscape with deep crevices.

Beneath them, entire mountain ridges were beginning to crumble, and it felt as if Caulifla's bones were about to do the same, _' **This** power is possible without god ki!?'_ What she'd felt before when he fought Frieza was _nothing_ compared to this!

* * *

On a faraway tiny island adorned by an even smaller pink house, one Master Roshi was struggling to hold his newly-replaced door on its hinges while the rest of his house was threatened to be washed away by the building waves crashing against its walls and flooding it through its open windows.

"What's... Goku... trying... to do?! Destroy the planet!?" The sudden pull of a retreating wave dragged the man out of his house and into the open sea, with Turtle following closely behind to save him, a teary-eyed smile on his face.

"I'm just glad someone remembered I exist."

* * *

A bit closer by, Korin was frantically dancing around to keep his balance while shouting in fear as his tower wobbled on the verge of toppling over, "I SWEAR GOKU, IF YOU BRING MY TOWER DOWN IT'LL BE THE LAST SENZU BEAN YOU GET FROM ME!"

The cat then let out a sigh of defeat as if accepting the inevitable destruction, "Ah, who am I kidding? It's the only way I can get him to stop by BUT THE LEAST HE COULD DO IS HELP ME REBUILD IT!"

* * *

Even inside a small shuttle outside in Earth's orbit, a pair of familiar Saiyan eyes widened before sharpening with anger as Goku's power caused his training space pod to vibrate, "Kakarot..!"

* * *

Lifting an arm to shield her eyes, Caulifla watched as - just like before - Goku's jet black hair started to grow, becoming more wild and spiked like hers, but with a few locks spilling over his shoulders. The orange and blue shirts of his gi seemed to recede as fine red fur grew on his stomach, arms, back, and parts of his chest in their place. And though his voice hadn't grown much louder, he had begun to growl with a _primal_ intensity that shook her soul.

That primal voice suddenly spiked, his clenched jaw and eyes briefly widening as every muscle in his face tensed, transforming his onyx irises into a very piercing and _very_ feral amber.

Goku's guttural voice roared through gritted teeth with raw tangible power and emotion that shook Caulifla's entire being, " **This** power... comes from... a pure-blooded Saiyan's... deepest... most primal..." He paused with a few strained grunts. Like his power, it felt like he was fighting just to force his own words out, before he summoned the strength to open his mouth with a roar, "...urges and... **DESIRES**!"

The last word had come out in the form of a soul-shattering scream that nearly turned her veins to ice, before electricity replaced it to dance through every nerve ending.

 _'Urges and... desires...'_

Those words echoed in her head and made her shiver at the implication. What Goku had meant was urge and desire for that deep power, but what she was feeling was something _far_ different. Though the force of his energy was threatening to blow her away, she couldn't help but feel herself being drawn to it as she slowly hovered closer and closer.

It was like an animalistic attraction. A _primal_ instinct. A desire and need to be close that she couldn't explain.

Nor did she care to. She'd already decided what she wanted. One of those was power, and the other was a certain currently red-furred Saiyan in front of her.

Fitting that those two desires came in the form of a single entity, who now hovered before her while sporting a long red tail and an immense aura of power that seemed to encompass the storm-ravished landscape.

Maybe even the entire planet.

" **This** is a Saiyan in their purest form. You could call it a Super Saiyan 4..." The sheer intensity in his voice, now that it was being directed at her, made her feel weak. Like before, it was as if a switch had been flipped within her. Just being in his presence was awakening something inside her.

Like his energy was a powerful pheromone.

"...but I prefer to call it a True Super Saiyan."

"True Super Saiyan..." Caulifla simply echoed his words as they sank in. Her entire body felt both numb and electrified at the same time just from being near him. Was it really his power alone or was it this instinctual attraction that was affecting her? Could she even touch him? What would happen if she did? What would he do?

What would _she_ do?

The Saiyan girl finally found her voice after his power had settled to the point where it felt like a soft hum vibrating every atom in her body, "Th-this is... Goku..." She spoke almost breathlessly in astonishment, "Can I _really_ achieve this?" Without thinking, she reached out and grabbed his hand, feeling an intense yet pleasant jolt at their contact.

It made her heart flutter, but her eyes continued to shine with both hope and wonder.

She felt his strong hand gently squeeze her own as his smile grew with a reassuring nod, "Yeah, you _definitely_ can." He watched her eyes train on his smile, before it fell ever-so-slightly, "It's not easy. For most it's practically impossible, but..." That heartwarming smile of his returned with full force, one which made her want to kiss that gentle yet intense face of his.

"You continue to surprise me and make me proud to be a Saiyan." His wild amber eyes shined with a tangible warmth and pride for the girl before him, "I **know** you of _all_ Saiyans can do it."

 _'Oh fuck it.'_ She couldn't help but lunge forward and throw her arms around the charming man in front of her while giggling as he seemed to twitch in a surprise that was uncharacteristic of his current intense demeanor. Goku hesitated for only a second before those earlier images of him intimately holding her flooded his senses.

 _'Oh fuck it.'_ He smiled back and shared a light chuckle at her enthusiasm while spinning with her in his arms a few times. She could feel her eyes beginning to water from his genuine praise, "I don't know if you're trying to butter me up or not." She held her face in front of his as he recovered from her initial outburst, "But it's definitely working!"

She could barely contain her grin, nor control herself when he smiled back at her with those piercing feral eyes staring directly into hers, "No, Cauli. You're every bit as amazing as I say you are."

She was _trying_ to help herself, but...

 _'Fuck it again!'_ To Goku's surprise, she leaned in to place a gentle appreciative kiss on his cheek, letting her lips linger on his slightly flushed skin for a moment before pulling away, "It means a lot to me to hear those words from you." With a tinge of pink on her own cheeks, she flashed him an equally genuine smile, "Thank you."

The flustered look on his face was priceless and she reluctantly released him from her hold while mentally cheering to herself for being able to replace that intense look on his face with such an endearing and _adorable_ one.

And any excuse to kiss him was a welcome one. Though it was becoming hard for her to ignore those carnal feelings and memories from before, especially now that she was feeling so _affected_ by this incredibly potent form of his. It was to both her relief and disappointment when he powered himself down to revert back to his normal form.

Peach skin and his familiar orange and blue gi replaced his fine red fur, and his tail receded while his eyes returned to normal to regard her with a prideful smile, "Don't thank me. It's the simple truth." His voice had lost its intensity, but Caulifla found that she missed his natural voice, "I've pretty much concluded that anything I can do, you can probably do easier." He then folded his arms with a more serious thought, "Though it definitely won't be easy, so don't feel too discouraged if it doesn't come to you right away."

Despite his modesty, Caulifla couldn't help but feel elated from his continued praise as she nodded her understanding to him, before a sudden thought struck her and caused her to point near his waist while tilting her head, "Um... what about the tail?" She held an adorable childlike curiosity on her features.

Did she need one to transform?

It took a second for her question to click, but his face lit up with a wide-eyed curious expression of his own as he pounded a fist down into his open palm, "Oh yeah! Saiyans from Universe 6 aren't born with tails anymore, are they?" He then paused in deep thought for a moment while she eagerly awaited his answer, "I get a tail when I go into that form because that's part of a Saiyan's true form, so you might not..."

When he trailed off, she gave a nod of understanding. It made sense so far.

"But if you want my opinion... _I_ think you'll still grow a tail when you do, since even though it's no longer the dominant part of your genes, it's still in there somewhere. Does that make sense?" He finished by holding his hands out with a shrug as if to say "your guess is as good as mine".

 _' **When** you do...'_ She smirked to herself. He'd said it without even thinking. He really _did_ believe in her.

But his words did make sense, and she found herself again nodding thoughtfully in agreement. She lifted an arm to look at her hand while clenching it into a fist and relaxing it. If he believed she had what it took, she was gonna achieve that power and make him proud.

She then silently blinked before reaching around to feel the base of her spine, feeling a slight shiver at the memory of Goku's _effective_ touch there. She'd have to find a way to get him to do that again... "If I do get a tail, it would definitely take some getting used to..." She then grew a confident toothy grin as she regarded her mentor in front of her, "But I'd like to know what it feels like to be a monkey!"

There was a touch of playfulness to her voice, but she mentally grimaced at the thought of the being she'd first heard use that word with dripping venom...

If she was going to get stronger for any reason, it would be to make sure he never hurt her Goku again!

The man in question merely gave a lighthearted chuckle at her enthusiasm, closing his eyes with mirth as he rubbed the back of his head. He then turned and opened his eyes to survey the world beneath them.

And he blanched.

"GEEZ! WHAT DID I DO!? IT LOOKS LIKE A GIANT HAND CAME AND SQUEEZED THE ENTIRE PLANET!"

Caulifla was taken aback by his sudden outburst at first, until she too stopped to take a look around her before widening her eyes with a gasp, "Whoa, you weren't kidding! It almost looks like a desert below us now!" _'No wonder that power is so attractive...'_

The two continued to stare in a mix of both horror and awe (well... awe for Caulifla; horror for Goku), Goku seeming to sweat bullets as he spoke more to himself than anything, "Damn. I hope this is the worst of it. I couldn't imagine if it destroyed any cities or the mountain back..."

Caulifla was broken from her own thoughts when she noticed Goku trail off and go disturbingly silent, turning her gaze toward him to see the man staring off with a blank expression, like he'd seen a beast so terrifying that it sapped his ability to express fear at all.

"CHI-CHI!" His sudden panic-stricken outburst nearly made Caulifla jump out of her skin. So it wasn't a beast, but... _'Close enough.'._

"I completely forgot that I was on my way to stop home and see her!" The way Goku seemed to be practically sweating bullets in panic from that woman, after having just shaken the entire planet merely by exerting his power, nearly brought an amused smile to the Saiyan girl's face.

Instead, Caulifla felt herself becoming sick to her stomach.

She already knew she didn't like where this was going as Goku began ruffle his hair in his hands at the fear of what his wife would do to him, "She's probably gonna kill me! I gotta go and make sure everything's alright!"

At that, an unpleasant painful pang struck Caulifla's heart. The thought of that woman made her skin want to crawl. She wanted to grab his hand and tell him not to go, tell him to just stay with her...

Yes it was kind of a selfish thought, but she wanted to spare him the pain of what was waiting for him back at his "home".

She regarded the man she loved with a pained look while raising a hand to cover the imaginary wound on her heart, almost feeling as if she was about to cry. Caulifla wanted to do _anything_ to keep him from going and spare him the heartbreak, but Goku was still unaware of what she had heard when she'd stopped by his house in search of him last night. She couldn't bear to watch him break like that, but...

"I'll go with you."

Goku had been in the middle of coming up ways to explain to Chi-Chi why he was so late when he was interrupted by the assertive voice of the girl next to him, "What-"

"I said I'll go with you." She repeated with a resolve in her tone that told him she wasn't taking no for an answer. He merely stared at her for a few moments, her persistent gaze not wavering, "Are you sure, Cauli? You don't have to-"

"I'm sure." Her response came immediately after a firm nod as she subtly clenched her fists, _'I can't stop her from hurting you, but I can at least be there for you to...'_ She held a small breath for a second, as if to will herself not to cry.

 _'... to pick up the pieces.'_

She felt a wave of relief when Goku give a small sigh and nod to her with "Ok." - not that she'd have accepted any other answer, anyway - before the two flew off in the direction of Goku's house.

Soon to be the place of painful memories.

They flew in silence, Caulifla with a heavy heart for the Saiyan male in front of her. She fixed her gaze on him, her heart pounding with morbid anticipation and one thought on her mind, _'I'm gonna protect the ones I love.'_

 _'Even if that means protecting them from the ones **they** love.'_

* * *

Meanwhile, not more than a few thousand miles away, a pair of menacing yellow eyes could be seen flashing vibrantly through the darkness between a canopy of thick trees, currently in search of a certain Saiyan.

Having felt the Saiyan's immense power tear through the planet, the eyes bounced up and down with dark laughter from a very familiar, rough, and _unnatural_ voice.

"Hnhnhnhnhnhn... _there_ you are..."

* * *

 **Mysterious figure returns!**

 **At first I had wondered if Caulifla would really feel enough pain to wanna cry at the thought of Goku having his heart broken by Chi-Chi after what she'd heard her say. Chi-Chi _is_ an obstacle for Caulifla, after all. But while that part would be relieving, you don't wanna see someone you really love and care about be broken like that. Especially after she's learned how much he's already sacrificed for the people he cares about while still having a kind and gentle attitude towards others.**

 **Also, about one of the statements I made in this chapter. Super Saiyan 3 isn't stronger than Super Saiyan Blue. However I do think that, by a wide margin, Goku displayed more impressive power during his first SS3 transformation than he did with Blue in Caulifla's presence. Here I attribute that to the Zenkai boost he got from almost dying to Frieza, and him just forcefully exerting more power in this transformation. Kinda like how all transformations seem to fluctuate in the dramatics of them.**

 **It's similar to how power levels work. In the Cell Saga, Semi-P. Cell had a power level of 3.2 billion, while Tien only had a power level of 3 million. However, when using Shin Kiko-ho to hold off Semi-P. Cell, Tien had a power level of 3 billion. ONLY during that attack. So, while Super Saiyan Blue is stronger, you can forcefully exert more power to make a lesser form feel tangibly stronger. Unless you do the same thing while in Blue, too.**

 **I also just wanted to recapture that scene from the Buu Saga since it was like the most epic part of the original DBZ x) So far in DBZA, the most epic moment for me is either Vegeta's Final Flash on P. Cell where he says "The only thing you'll be feeling is OBLIVION!", or this exchange between P. Cell and Trunks:**

 **"I'm impressed! Behind all that angst and ridiculous hair, there's a real fighter!"  
"And behind all that insufferable smarm is a dead man!"  
"Trunks, you couldn't _FATHOM_ the amount of dead men behind me."**

 **Possibly the single most badass line I've ever heard... _anywhere_**


	14. Chapter 14

**And so the big confrontation! Though to be fair, I did "spice up" another later confrontation a little bit. At any rate, if you're a Chi-Chi fan and somehow made it this far, then whoa boy have I just probably lost a reader lol.**

* * *

To Caulifla, the small mountain residence of one Son Goku looked _very_ different during the day as they approached it. Chi-Chi could be seen in the yard below, hanging laundry out to dry.

Aside from the woman's presence outside, the house's appearance was different enough to make it seem _somewhat_ less uninviting. Still, she felt her fists tighten and her stomach churn in anticipation for what was to come, while Goku chanted to himself the many different ways he could greet his wife for the best results. The Saiyan girl had other chants on her mind.

 _'I still can't believe a man with as much godly strength as him can be afraid of such a weak woman.'_ Even if it was his "mate". Caulifla regarded the man with a slight frown before feeling her chest tighten, _'There's no way I'd make him feel like that toward **me**...'_

Well, she might scare him a _little_ if he did something idiotic, but only out of love and the fact that she found it cute.

Chi-Chi had stopped what she was doing when she noticed them flying over her, looking up and waving while calling out Goku's name when she realized it was him, either not noticing Caulifla next to him or not taking note with their distance.

That is, until they began to descend.

Goku waved back to his wife with a cheery (if somewhat nervous) look as the two landed, "Hey, Chi-Chi! Uh... long time no see..!" The hesitation was clear to Caulifla even as he tried to sound nonchalant and play off his absence.

Chi-Chi ran up to him with what Caulifla decided was feigned enthusiasm, "There you are! I was beginning to worry when-" She then cut herself off as she noticed the female Saiyan next to him.

The smile on her face vanished immediately.

"Goku... _who_ is this?" Her voice held a warning tone that Caulifla picked up on immediately. Chi-Chi _did_ have a right to be suspicious of her, but she no longer had a right to be jealous, and Caulifla unconsciously inched herself closer to Goku's side. "Oh! This is Caulifla! She's one of the Saiyans from Universe 6." Either Goku hadn't picked up on his wife's tone or had ignored it as he patted the Saiyan girl's shoulder.

Unlike Caulifla, Goku's wife clearly didn't look amused, "And _what_ is she doing here?" She had put her fists on her hips, a gesture the female Saiyan had wanted to return as she silently watched her with annoyance, _'It's none of your business.'_

She was comforted when she felt Goku's hand subtly squeeze her shoulder. He was still unaware of exactly what was going on but had picked up on his wife's unpleasantly icy tone.

"Well after the tournament, I used the Super Dragon Balls to wish all the universes back. After that, she came out to our universe to come find me.". Caulifla couldn't help but feel herself smile smugly yet sweetly at the woman's growing frustration with both Goku and her, allowing herself to drift microscopically closer to his side with growing confidence.

"Goku." Chi-Chi's tone was even, but it was clear she was losing her patience, "I mean _what_ is she doing here... _with you_?" If the look she was giving Caulifla was as powerful as the Frieza-level venom it held, the Saiyan girl would've dropped dead where she stood. She gave Chi-Chi a sharper look of her own as she found herself tensing as her annoyance grew, _' **That's** none of your business anymore either, bitch!'_.

This was the woman she'd heard not even a day ago say how she was done and no longer held those feelings for Goku, but now that she sees him with another girl, she's suddenly jealous as if she still has rights to him.

Caulifla apologized not-so-sincerely in her head to the woman. Whether or not the Saiyan girl had any feelings or intentions with Goku, Chi-Chi had already made her intentions to give him up clear. Jealousy was not a substitute for love.

Goku seemed to have picked up on the tension between the two girls, mainly the territorial sharpness in Chi-Chi's voice while Caulifla had decided to remain silent... for now. His own tone became more serious and defensive of the girl next to him, almost warning "Chi-Chi, Caulifla came here specifically to find me so that I could train her to become a stronger Saiyan, like me."

The Saiyan girl in question couldn't help herself from smiling more visibly as Goku verbally shielded her from his wife's ire, even though she could (and wouldn't mind to) knock the woman on her ass where she stood. She could tell Goku also wasn't liking the tone in Chi-Chi's voice.

Said woman responded by giving Caulifla an icy stare as she looked her over, taking in the girl's sparse state of attire. Already Caulifla had a feeling what Chi-Chi was thinking. "Oh I'm sure that's _all_ she wants, Goku.". She'd been expecting Chi-Chi to say something more, but it was still close enough.

And to Chi-Chi's credit, she wasn't _entirely_ wrong about Caulifla.

"What the hell are you trying to say, Chi-Chi?" Both of their voices had risen somewhat, with Goku holding an air of disbelief while keeping his warning tone. Caulifla had almost heard enough. She wasn't gonna let this woman hurt _her_ Goku.

Chi-Chi shook her head in exasperation at her husband's naiveté, "Goku. Look at her! That... _hussy_ is after you for more than just training!" The word came out like acid. _That_ one stung.

But it wasn't Caulifla who it had stung the most.

Next to her, Goku had tensed up with a seething anger. She may be his wife, but she was out of line. She knew _nothing_ about the amazing, sweet, gentle, fiery, and compassionate girl next to him, and had absolutely no right to regard her with such disrespect and hostility!

He also would've added "funny" to her list of criteria, but no one was in a laughing mood right now. Also beautiful, but Chi-Chi could already see that, which was part of her problem.

Goku was about to fire back but instead gasped when, to both Chi-Chi _and_ his surprise, Caulifla moved to press herself against his side while wrapping an arm around his waist and hooking her leg possessively around his. Her other hand came to rest on his chest over his heart, which she felt jump against her palm and give her own heart a wonderful jolt.

"And what if I am? What exactly does it mean to _you_?" The Saiyan girl eyed the woman in front of her with a challenging stare and an equally challenging tone as she held Goku in a manner to both protect him _and_ taunt Chi-Chi.

Both of which felt good to her, since this was a position she _really_ liked.

It was Goku's turn to be silent as he stood in Caulifla's warm and admittedly comfortable hold, though he held his arms out so not to anger the woman in front of him more. However, even in front of Chi-Chi, he couldn't stop the constant jolts in his heart from the way the lithe Saiyan girl was so intimately and _possessively_ wrapped around him.

Jolts which Caulifla was satisfied to feel under her palm as she eyed the woman who just stared at her with a priceless stunned expression. She was seemingly at a loss for words as she watched the Saiyan girl keep her body practically molded to her husband's. To Chi-Chi, Goku _seemed_ just as shocked by the girl's forward actions as she was, but at the same time...

He wasn't making a move to stop her!

Chi-Chi gritted her teeth as her anger rose toward the girl, pulling at a piece of folded clothing in her hands with enough force that threatened to tear it in two, "It means a _lot_ to me seeing as he's my _husband_ who-"

"Oh come off it!" Caulifla cut the woman off sharply, causing both Chi-Chi and Goku to jump at the sudden outburst. To Goku's dismay, she had disengaged herself from him in order to stand next to him with her arms folded and eyes narrowed. She could worry about the lost contact in a moment. Right now she was pissed, "Don't call him your husband after what I heard you say last night!"

This had earned a confused sound from the oblivious man next to her, but the woman in front of them was blanching, "How did you...".

But Caulifla wasn't gonna let her get away with her bullshit, so she pressed on with her accusing tone, "And don't you **dare** try to deny it out of jealousy right now, because I'm sure we can get your son from the tournament to tell us what you told him." Chi-Chi was only keeping up the facade out of territorial jealousy. The Saiyan girl wasn't gonna let her hurt the man she loved.

"Chi-Chi..." It was Goku's turn to speak after finding his voice, staring at the woman as his words came out carefully, almost like he didn't believe his own voice, "What did you say?"

Aside from a slight furrow in his brow, Goku's expression seemed blank, yet there was a hint of pain in his features and in his voice. The implications of Caulifla's words... he didn't want to believe them, but she sounded so _angry_ at Chi-Chi... for him. While he felt his heart growing unpleasantly tight, that fact felt comforting to him, as if massaging his currently aching muscle. He felt that comfort physically when Caulifla took his hand and gave it a gentle squeeze as he waited for Chi-Chi's answer.

"Goku..." The woman in question took a hesitant step forward while almost nervously chuckling out his name, as if not believing what he was asking, "You don't really believe this... this-"

"Chi-Chi." Giving Caulifla's hand a light squeeze, Goku had cut the woman off before she could say anything potentially nasty toward the girl next to him. His tone had become harder, and Caulifla was glad he seemed to be staying strong rather than breaking down, "I can have Gohan tell me if I need to, but I'd like to hear it from you." He then paused to talk a calming breath, finding strength from the Saiyan girl's warm touch, " _What_ did you say?"

He almost sounded like a parent scolding a child, and while she was fully aware that Caulifla wasn't lying, Chi-Chi couldn't believe that Goku seemed to be siding with... with _her_!

When it didn't seem like Chi-Chi was capable of finding the words, Caulifla took the initiative by slipping her hand from Goku's and taking a defensive step in front of him, folding her arms under her breasts as if to accentuate her assets to the balking woman. She turned her attention first to Goku, "First off, I was at your house yesterday while in search of you, when I overheard them talking."

While this didn't surprise Goku too much (albeit he was a bit taken aback that she went so far on her own to find him), Chi-Chi seemed to become pale.

Caulifla steeled herself to let the floodgates loose, summoning all of the feelings she held for the man behind her to push her forward, as she directed her words toward woman in front of her, "You said you couldn't go on anymore because you lost the feelings you had for Goku." At this she threw a hand back in gesture to the man behind him for emphasis, her voice steadily rising, " _Why?_ "

The question was rhetorical and had come out with an accusing tone. One Caulifla immediately answered for her, "Because you weren't happy with all the times he would leave you behind." She gave herself a brief moment to collect herself as she felt her eyes beginning to sting, "All of the times he _sacrificed_ his time with everyone he cares about, just so he could keep you safe!"

She was doing a pretty poor job at staying collected, as she'd begun shouting. Her vision begin to blur as tears welled up in her eyes, "Do you think he _wanted_ to do it!? To cut himself from all his loved ones like that, over and over!?". Goku just stared breathlessly as this wonderful girl in front of him pouring her heart out as she defended him, even in spite of what he'd just heard about Chi-Chi.

It didn't compare to the way Caulifla was making his heart swell right now. The pain in her voice, even more so than the words themselves, made his own eyes start to sting.

Chi-Chi was even more flabbergasted as the girl made her chew on her own words for calling her a hussy, when this "hussy" clearly seemed to care more about Goku than she did.

Whether it was to control her tears or her anger, Caulifla's shoulders had begun shaking as she held her arms down tightly while looking down towards the ground between them, "That's just the kind of man he is! His entire life is nothing but sacrifice, constantly giving up what he wants, just so everyone else can go about their day..."

Feeling moved by her heartwarming words, Goku took a step and put a gentle hand on her shoulder to stop the shaking, "Cauli..." As touched as he was by her beautiful words and her even more beautiful (albeit angry) voice, he didn't want her to continue to work herself up. She merely shook her head as she lifted her gaze to meet Chi-Chi's, feeling driven by his touch, "You don't have to like that he's absent so much... but you don't appreciate it at all!"

She blinked angrily, causing her tears to disperse so she could get a better look at the speechless woman who seemed to be regarding Caulifla's feelings with awe. Or at the very least, shocked silence.

As if all the fire in her veins had finally burned through its anger-filled fuel, Caulifla's expression softened as she calmed down, her voice falling just above a whisper, "But I do. I would travel to the ends of the universe to fight by his side so that he never has to make those sacrifices. Or at least..." She shifted herself to cast Goku a sideways glance over her shoulder, with a fond tear-filled smile that made his heart stop, "... not alone."

Ok, _that_ really made his heart stop.

His focus on the heart-poundingly sweet girl in front of him was broken by the sound of Chi-Chi's foreign voice.

Or at least, foreign to Goku.

"Goku, I'm sorry. I-" He had raised his other hand to cut Chi-Chi off before placing it comfortingly on Caulifla's other shoulder. Though she was protecting _him_ , it was _her_ that seemed to need it more, "Chi-Chi, I..." He mirrored her as he cast his gaze down toward the center of Caulifla's exposed back, finding warm solace at the sight before shaking his head and returning to meet Chi-Chi's eyes, "I need some time to think."

More so he wanted to get Caulifla away from there. This seemed much more painful for her than it was for him, and it was all for his sake. The reason it hadn't been as painful for him was not only because he'd already felt dejection from Chi-Chi, but also because of the small girl relaxing in his protective grip. Not just her words, but everything about her. Memories of her smile, her touch, every accidental yet wonderfully intimate moment...

And that _vivid_ daydream he'd had at the river.

Even if he didn't fully recognize his feelings or put them into words, they'd numbed him to the pain and heartache that Chi-Chi had been causing him. Pain she'd caused him for far longer than just now.

It was to Caulifla's relief when she felt Goku's hands squeeze her shoulders before he began to lift off from the ground, with her immediately following in tow to keep herself in his soothing touch as they floated higher, before they found themselves flying off in the direction they'd come.

She couldn't hear if Chi-Chi was calling after them or staring silently with a loss for words. Her own words from before played out in her head.

 _'Where did that all come from?'_ Once she'd started, she couldn't stop going. The words just came spilling out naturally as she spoke from her heart. She'd all but shouted the words "I love him!" to his wife just a few minutes ago. Whether Goku had picked up on that message or not, it made her feel even lighter than she was now, and she was already literally currently on air.

"Hey... Cauli?" The Saiyan girl felt her heart jolt as the object of her thoughts broke the silence. She drifted closer to his side in response as he continued, "I just wanted to say... thank you. What you said back there..." He paused as if struggling with his words, and she felt her heart melt at the emotion in them before he turned to look back at her with what looked like an affectionate smile on his lips, "It means a lot to me to hear you think that."

His expression then fell in recognition, but held the same warmth and fondness toward her, "You knew this whole time, and came along to help me." It was neither a question nor an accusation. If anything he sounded proud.

She wasn't surprised that he knew. She'd already made it clear that she knew. It was that gentle heartwarming way he said it, which made her flash him a sweet smile in response before it morphed into a more playful grin, "Of course! We both know you would be helpless without me!"

Her teasing made him burst into a light fit of chuckles, catching his breath as they died down with a slightly wider smile and a lighter spirit, "Maybe.". They settled into comfortable silence as they looked to one another, before Caulifla's face lit up.

"I know!" The mood was definitely lighter than before, but that wasn't enough for the Saiyan girl as she drifted ahead of Goku, before turning back to face him as they flew, "How about we go back for some training to take our minds off things!" She flashed him a wide grin with mirth-filled eyes as she twirled around and took off before he could object.

Of course he wasn't gonna object. She knew him well enough for that. He merely grinned back at her retreating form in amusement while releasing a short breathy chuckle before chasing after her, "Is training the _only_ thing on your mind?"

"Oh please! You say that like it's not a perfect description for _yours_!"  
"What!? That's totally not true!"  
"Really? Name **one** other thing you like to think about."  
"Well-"  
"That's _not_ food."

Goku smiled fondly as he followed after her, an answer immediately popping into his head, _' **You** , for one...'_ "Well what about _you_?"

She giggled softly to herself at his verbal response, rolling her eyes with an affectionate smile as she sped ahead, "If it's not obvious to you by now, then you really _are_ an **idiot**!"

* * *

 **And so that conveniently ends things with Chi-Chi! xP I'll admit, before I wrote this, the ONLY thing I had in mind for it was Chi-Chi accusing Caulifla being after more than just training, and Caulifla tauntingly wrapping herself around Goku while challenging "What if I am?". Cute and sexy at the same time, both visually and in attitude. It made me wanna have Caulifla be the one to ultimately speak up and show a backbone, especially since she was the one sitting on that info and Goku wasn't. And then Goku, already feeling distant from Chi-Chi as it is, taking Caulifla's side.**

 **All I can do is hope I played things out well enough. I thought it would only be a thousand word affair. Turned out over 3,000 lol.**


	15. Chapter 15

**If you missed what detail I left out back in chapter 5, you'll see that come into play here.**

 **And I don't wanna spoil too much, but if you were disappointed by the conclusion to chapter 12, well, you'll hopefully like this x)**

* * *

"You know. Just because you were an angel for me back there, doesn't mean I'm gonna go soft on you now, sweetheart!"

The howling wind couldn't hide the tease in Goku's voice as he smirked confidently from his side of the crater that scarred their favorite sparring wasteland on this evening. Meanwhile, on her side of the crater across from him, Caulifla fought to hide her blush before grinning as she shot back, "And don't think _I'm_ gonna hold back just because _you_ called me sweetheart!"

She would find "other" ways to get him back for that. Maybe show him just how _sweet_ she could be...

Goku's face twitched slightly in thought as he watched her crouch down to prepare her assault, _'I mean I_ _ **say**_ _that, but...'_ The way she held him right in front of Chi-Chi, the other times they'd held each other or she straddled him, and that _vivid_ daydream... He felt himself shiver.

He could still _hear_ her pleasure-filled moans tickling his ears. How he'd kill to hear them again.

Hear them for _real_.

Goku gasped to himself and shook his head as he came to from his fantasizing. Already he could feel his body reacting to them. He shifted his gaze onto the angel across from him while crouching into his own stance, focusing as she did the same, with similar thoughts on her mind.

There was no room for hesitation. Two pairs of onyx eyes stared intensely into each other, their features sharpening and muscles tensing as they each slid a foot through the dirt to widen their stance. Both with the same thought in mind.

All the intimate moments they'd shared, even during sparring...

 _'Whatever happens... happens.'_

Spiky black heads of hair immediately turned gold in a burst of power before both Super Saiyans kicked off the ground towards each other, creating a sonicboom from their speed as their fists met each other in the center with a powerful shockwave that nearly flattened the entire crater beneath their feet. As they pushed, they both unclenched their fists and shifted to lace their fingers together in a tight yet intimate grip, in an attempt to push the other back.

"You know the best part about fighting you?" Caulifla's voice chimed through gritted teeth as she grinned at the man in front of her in their struggle for dominance. The Saiyan male smirked back while holding her stare, "The answer doesn't have to do with getting to kick my butt, does it?"

She giggled sweetly yet darkly as she flashed him a devious look, letting her grip slacken enough for him to fall forward with a sound of shock. Keeping her fingers locked with his, Caulifla leaned forward to whisper with the faintest trace of seduction in her voice, "It's because I get to touch you in places most other girls don't."

That had the desired effect.

Goku simply froze as he felt a shiver run down his spine, a shiver that Caulifla could feel travel through their joined hands. She released a soft giggle into his ear and gave his hands a gentle squeeze that made his heart jump, but she wasn't done with him just yet, and emphasized her point by tilting _just_ enough to _ever-so-briefly_ nibble his ear, before kicking off of the ground to flip over the stunned Saiyan, stopping while upside down to hurl a volley of ki blasts at his back.

She would've gone easier on the poor man after pulling such an evil (yet _so very_ enjoyable) stunt, but she knew it wasn't necessary, and wore a prideful smirk as she was proven right when her blasts passed through his now fading image to decimate the crater where he previously stood.

 _'Didn't think that would work.'_ Her smile grew as she licked her lips at the delicious memory she'd just created, _'But then that wasn't the intention.'_

She was brought out of her musings with a surprised grunt when a sudden kick to her back sent her flying, revealing a confidently-smirking Goku behind where she had just been floating. A second later he bolted after her tumbling form while she mentally smacked herself, _'Nice going, Cauli! Somehow_ _ **I'm**_ _the one who ended up getting distracted...'_

She righted herself just in time to swiftly duck her head around a punch from Goku when he caught up with her, and like before the two began to trade blows while vanishing to the naked eye, littering the ground and air with powerful shockwaves from each impact as they'd reappear briefly and vanish just as fast.

"You know, that was a pretty dirty trick, Cauli." Goku mock-reprimanded the girl with a calm tone as they darted around face-to-face at hypersonic speeds while simultaneously twisting their bodies to avoid or block each other's blows. The Saiyan girl just scoffed as she avoided another punch while attempting to knee him in the stomach, " _Trick_!? I'm hurt, senpai. You _know_ I meant every **word**!"

The last word came as a shout as, with a sudden grin, Caulifla thrust her arms out between the two of them to release a powerful ki blast in his face. With a brief flash of startled eyes, Goku regained himself and put his arms up to block the blast just in time, causing it to explode point-blank on both of them and send them flying to the ground below in opposite directions.

Goku landed in a skid as he spun to a stop with his back to her while Caulifla landed in a tumble and kicked off of a large rock just before slamming into it, which caused it to shatter. She closed in fast on her mentor/love's back-turned form with a confident grin, _'Now I got you!'_ And with a sudden grunt, her hair changed in an abrupt burst of power as she entered Super Saiyan 2 and vanished with blinding speed, reappearing directly behind him to land a well-deserved kick to his backside.

A kick she missed horribly as Goku, without turning around, shifted to catch her outstretched leg between his arm and his waist, causing the girl to stop in her tracks and flail around almost comedically as he held her, "H-hey! Lemme... go!" She grunted out as she tried to pull her leg free.

Goku was about to do just that (ala spinning her and whipping her into a nearby remaining mountain), when he noticed something _very_ interesting about his helpless captive, something he hadn't noticed before.

Something that caused him to form the most evil grin his lips had ever produced.

Said unsuspecting target was still currently thrashing about to free her leg while coming up with all kinds of curses for the idiot in front of her, when she felt something lightly slide against the sole of her foot, causing Caulifla to widen her eyes while involuntarily jerking with a sudden squeak. A light blush formed on her face with a loud gasp when she felt it again, faster and more forceful, before breaking out into full blown laughter when Goku's fingers began to mercilessly assault her bare sole with reckless abandon.

"AHAHAHAHAHA! G-goku..! S-s-stop-p!" She continued to arch and thrust her body around helplessly with a deepening blush. Goku only tightened his hold on her leg, his eyes flashing with playfully devious mirth as his fingers danced across her defenseless sole and between her toes. Her infectious laughter was music to his ears, "Not unless you say uncle, Cauli!"

The poor girl could do nothing but jerk her leg in his grip and twist her foot around in a feeble and ultimately fruitless attempt to escape his deadly touch, "N-n-nAHAHAHAHA!" She did _not_ want to admit defeat, but even trying to declare her defiance was cut off by her own laughter. Tears were beginning to stream from her clenched eyes.

 _'That little bastard! When did he-'_ She cut herself off with a gasp - which came out as a sputtered laugh - in grim realization as the events of her time on Earth played out in a single flash.

 _Looking down, she stepped back to kick off her shoes and pinch the grass between her toes._

 _She turned on her heels and crouched down to spring herself into the air, taking a flying leap over towards the shoreline to land with a flip, where she knelt down to splash some cold water in her face for good measure._

 _A cloud of sand was all that was left where she stood, having kicked off from the shore at a breakneck pace towards the small pink house on an equally small island she could see in the distance._

* * *

Somewhere, on a small island just south of Kame House, a deer was busy chewing on half of a torn shoe hanging from its mouth.

* * *

The madly-giggling girl paled and mentally slapped her forehead with a convulsive spastic groan, _'I never put my shoes back on! How didn't I notice I've been barefoot this whole time!?'_

Questions for later. She supposed she didn't _need_ her shoes if it took her this long to notice, only she could _really_ have used them right **now**!

Dammit! It was all Vados' fault for distracting Caulifla - with her talk of princess and princesses - before she could put her shoes back on and making her forget about them entirely! The Angel may have been right about her feelings for Goku, but this now-writhing Saiyan girl was gonna get her back later!

The poor girl's hair reverted back to its original spiky black, with Goku having managed to literally tickle the Super Saiyan out of her. Her body fell to the dirt below with Goku holding her leg up at an angle, no longer having the strength to keep herself floating as she was beginning to feel exhausted from her muscles' endless spasms.

By now even her laughs were starting to come out more as weak groans. Luckily he seemed to have suddenly stopped.

A sudden gasp escaped Caulifla's lips and she felt her heart jump when her Saiyan captor lifted her leg higher to nibble teasingly on the tip of her index toe, followed by a firm lick against the entire length of her digit which caused her to blush even deeper at his daring action, before once again throwing her body about when he began to tickle her again, giving her no time to process the sensations, "No f-fair! F-f-fight like AHAHAHA man and f-face me!"

She probably could've phrased that a little better. To Goku that didn't mean 'stop tickling me and fight me'. No it was more of an invitation of 'come tickle me face-to-face'.

As much as she actually liked his attention, it was to Caulifla's relief when she felt Goku's fingers finally slow their work on her poor tortured sole, allowing her breathing to slowly return to normal as her laughter petered out, _'If he thinks he won so easily, I'm gonna pay him back ten times more!'_

Her moment of reprieve was short-lived, however, when Goku turned to face her with her foot still in hand, wearing the most playfully sinister smirk she'd seen on him. One that made her shiver.

" _Alright_. You _asked_ for it." The tone he gave her immediately put her on high alert. Something about the way he said it told her that she should either brace herself or run, and she currently didn't have the energy to move, and she was pretty sure he'd tickled away her muscles' ability to clench for the rest of her life.

That last assumption was immediately proven false.

"Goku... wha-HAHAHAHAHA!" Caulifla could do nothing but squeak out when, without warning, Goku's hands began to violently squeeze their way up her leg. She jerked and threw herself about as he slowly crawled on top of her lithe writhing form. Merciless fingers found her sides and danced feverishly across her exposed stomach, dipping into her naval at every opportunity. The way her stomach muscles contracted so beautifully under his touch was mesmerizing.

 _'Even when she's an incoherent mess, she's still an angel.'_ Goku couldn't help himself. Every squeak and every giggle that escaped her lips was music to his ears. It was like a drug, and he wanted more. He found his hands touching and exploring more. More of her soft exposed skin. Higher.

And higher.

"G-Goku... _please_..." The panting girl breathed out desperately, but no longer in a tone that was begging him to _stop_.

Both were broken from their little tickle war (more like one-sided massacre) when a soft but _very_ guttural moan escaped Caulifla's throat. Goku stopped his fingers' devilish ministrations to realize, with a blush, that his hand had slipped under her tube top and had brushed across her erect nipple. He immediately froze.

Was this... turning her on?

Was this turning _him_ on?

His gaze shifted along her slender supine body to notice her skin glistening with beads of sweat; The rise and fall of her chest with every heavy breath even after he'd stopped tickling her; And how her hair fanned out around her flushed face, which was staring at him with _hungry_ eyes.

Flashbacks of when they'd held this same position flooded both of their senses and they found themselves back on that riverbank. What had followed had seemed so real.

Was _this_ real? Her breast certainly _felt_ real in his hand, which he had yet to move.

Goku was brought from his thoughts when he felt Caulifla reach up to hook her arms around his neck, "Goku..." Her soft voice came out as a breathy whisper, and her eyes were a few shades dark with lust, but held so much love and affection that they made him freeze and give her his undivided attention, "Do you know why I said what I said at your house?"

He felt his eyes widen slightly and his pulse quicken as he remembered those touching words of hers that made his heart melt when he _should've_ felt broken, and while he had a feeling he knew the answer, he stayed silent for her to continue.

A small smile formed on her lips before tears began to well in her eyes as she brought herself to say what she couldn't before, "You told me that true strength comes from... protecting those you love." Jolt after electric jolt continued to pierce her hammering heart and her smile grew ever-so-slightly as she pushed on.

"That's what I was doing."

If possible, Goku felt his pulse quicken even more as Caulifla hooked her arms around his neck further to pull him just a bit closer to her. He didn't resist, instead silently watching her face seem to twist in pain as her tears began to flow freely, "I watched you... almost _die-_ " Her voice broke slightly with a soft sob, "-at the tournament... after you wished me back."

At some point, Goku's hand had instinctively found its way to cup the side of her face while she spoke, using his thumb to brush away what tears he could reach; A hand she gingerly nuzzled her cheek against while she closed her moist eyes, "I felt so... _helpless_. I still can't get those... those _images_ out of my head." Tears were starting to prick at his own eyes as she poured her heart out to him. If it were possible, Goku's heart stopped while still continuing to pound when he felt her shiver with a stronger sob.

He moved to speak, to tell her everything was ok, but she beat him to it after she'd gathered herself again while pulling him closer, "If I stay with you, and get stronger, I know I can make sure that'll never happen again." A small sniffle escaped Caulifla as she smiled up at him, feeling a fresh stream of tears fall from her eyes, "I can protect you."

Those words caught Goku's breath in his throat as he stared at the beautiful girl beneath hm. Did he feel the same way? He _definitely_ felt something. He felt a ghost of it all the way back at the tournament, and it had only continued to grow since he'd found her... not even a day ago.

Is it... possible to fall in love in such a short amount of time? He nodded to himself.

As possible as it was to accidentally get married.

Goku found his answer when he looked into her eyes. The affection they held for him, the words she'd just shared with him, and what she'd said back at his house... all nearly brought those tears flowing from his own eyes. All for the right reasons.

Chi-Chi hadn't made him cry from all the things she did. She'd made him _numb_.

Caulifla closed her eyes with a soft sigh when she felt Goku's hand caress her cheek. A sigh he felt on his lips with how close she'd pulled him to her. His own whispered voice vibrated against her lips in a way that made her shudder, "Remember when you asked if I had anything on my mind besides training?"

She nodded with another soft contented sigh, not bothering to open her eyes as he caressed her senses.

"I haven't stopped thinking about you since I first saw you."

Goku felt her chest rise under his hand as she drew a sharp intake of breath from the violent jolt that struck her pounding heart. His eyes were drawn to hers as they fluttered open and her arms shifted ever-so-slightly over his neck.

"Goku..." Her voice sounded wanting, _demanding_. The next thing he knew, she had slid her arms all the way around the back of his neck to bring his lips crashing onto hers.  
 _  
'Whatever happens, happens.'_

That thought was like a switch in Goku's mind as his body took over, using Caulifla's own body as a canvas for his fingers to paint the image he had created at the river. The same images ran through her mind as she moaned softly into Goku's mouth when he began to not-too-gently tweak her nipple between his finger and thumb, granting his tongue entrance to once again do battle with hers... for the first time.

 _'This feels just like then...'_ Caulifla's thoughts were in a haze as she felt Goku's tongue steal taste after taste from the inside of her mouth, something she didn't mind one bit as she tilted her head to better mold her lips against his. This couldn't be real, could it? It had felt so real last time too.

Her thoughts came to a pause with a gasp when she felt his hands join forces to squeeze and knead both of her breasts. Her small tube top was over her head and discarded the moment she broke the kiss to look into Goku's hungry stare while his hands returned to do their wonderful work on her mounds.

As they held each other's gaze, Goku merely chuckled huskily at the loss of contact and took the opportunity to tease her, "Still wanna 'skip the foreplay'?". Her soft chortle made her breasts bounce comfortably in his hands before she shot back, "As if. Our _entire_ time together has been constant foreplay." A response that earned an even louder chuckle from him. He couldn't deny it.

A sudden almost startled look of realization appeared on Goku's face as he took in their surroundings with furrowed brows. No, he wanted to do this right. Caulifla had caught his look and was about to ask him what was wrong, but a soft moan squeaked out instead when she felt his grip tighten on her breasts as he leaned in to whisper huskily into her ear, "Hold on."

In an instant, the course dirt below morphed into pillowy soft sheets as she realized, with wide eyes and a surprised gasp, that they were back in the cabin, on the same bed she'd woken up in before, _'What? How!?'_ What had Goku done?

As if reading her thoughts, the Saiyan male lifted himself to gaze into her bright onyx orbs and smirk softly at her adorably shocked expression, "Instant Transmission."

 _'Instant Trans-what?'_ She nearly shook her head as she stared at him in disbelief, before remembering him mention it before. At that thought, she returned his soft smile to show her _mild_ understanding, while enjoying the comfort of the bed she was now laying in.

That was just another trick he'd have to teach her.

But now... being so close to the river made Caulifla think back to that "daydream". A shiver ran down her spine from the ghostly sensation of Goku's teeth in her neck as he'd left that mark on her. Wanting to feel that again, she gingerly tilted her head to the side to expose her neck to him while closing her eyes, " _Please_..." Her voice was almost pleading, with the gesture alone being enough for Goku to know _exactly_ what she wanted.

It was as if each knew what the other was thinking.

Caulifla bit her lip in anticipation as Goku's lips found her pulse point, moaning and hooking her legs with his as he began to suck on her tender skin just like before. Powerful jolts of electric pleasure traveled through her chest and down her spine every time his thumbs would brush and scratch against her hardened nipples, and she finally let out a satisfied whimper when she felt Goku's teeth sink into her sensitive flesh.

Her body writhed under Goku's as he continued to suck on her soft skin trapped between his teeth, making sure to leave a _lasting_ mark that branded her as his. A brand she'd wanted. Goku felt her wrap her arms more tightly around him to keep his mouth against her skin until he'd finished his job, which he gladly did as he sank his teeth just a bit in more, enough to make her nearly scream his name.

As he held her neck in his mouth and sucked her creamy skin into a deep crimson, Caulifla let out a groan in protest when she felt the warmth of one of his hands leave her breast. His fingers left a trail of goosebumps down her ribs and across her stomach before sliding underneath the waistline of her pants.

If it were possible, Goku's pants became even tighter when he felt her erect nub under his wandering finger, earning a sharp hiss from his lover and spurring him on to fiddle it between his finger and thumb, which caused Caulifla to cry out and buck her hips against his hand, forcing his teeth to pull wonderfully on her skin.

"Goddamn _tease_..." The writhing Saiyan girl breathed out with a moan as he continued to manipulate her body. Every hungry suck on her neck, every brush against her nipple, and every tweak of her clit between his finger and thumb were all timed to the rhythm of her pulse and it was driving her crazy! She knew he knew this when she felt him smirk against her skin.

She was already close to exploding and they hadn't even started yet!

She wasn't gonna go down that easily!

With a passionate growl she unhooked her arms from around Goku's neck and made a move to grab his pesky hands, leaving his lips to continue doing their deed on her neck. Pull as she might, she'd forgotten he was still in Super Saiyan 2, so she couldn't do anything to remove his hands from her throbbing nubs, earning a blissful yet frustrated moan as she came.

Goku couldn't help but chuckle against her neck at her cute display as she rode out her first orgasm, panting under him with an almost childlike scowl, "You... think that's funny..?" Her voice came out between heavy breaths with a weak chortle.

A small gasp escaped her lips when she felt his teeth finally release her skin as he lifted himself to look at her. She missed the warmth of his lips over her pulse point, but smiled in satisfaction when she lifted a hand to her neck to trace her fingers along deep teeth marks that made her shudder.

"I don't think it's funny at all." Goku's voice was low and gruff as he stared back at her beautiful face with a smile of his own, before smirking wickedly, "I think it's _breathtaking_."

Before Caulifla could guess at what he meant by his tone, he quickly captured her lips with his own while sending concentrated energy through his fingers and into her nipple and clit as he tweaked them. His lips did little to muffle her screams as her eyes practically rolled back in her head, tightening her legs around his for dear life as her body jerked and shuddered in another climax.

 _'Oh god, that felt amazing!'_ Caulifla panted against Goku's lips as she recovered from his "attack", before growling at the fact that he'd just made her orgasm _twice_ and he was still fully clothed!

Goku felt that growl before she broke their kiss to look into his eyes with a dangerous smirk, "Not so fast, stud." And before he could do anything in response, her tired body erupted with power and renewed vigor as she went Super Saiyan 2, using her strength to flip their positions and straddle him while peeling his shirt off.

No move was made to stop her as he lie back and watched her with an amused look toward her assertion, "Was that a bit too much for you?"

Small hands found his bare chest to trace his muscles as she returned his look, "Sorry, but I'm a bit hungry for something more." She purred while leaning toward him for another kiss, one he returned while their hands found themselves racing to remove the other's remaining clothes.

A race Caulifla had begrudgingly lost due to his belt and boots. She bit his lip for that one which made him nearly yelp into her giggling mouth.

There might've been something to say about how this was already more of an experience than he ever had with Chi-Chi, but she was far from his mind right now as the beautiful Saiyan on top of him wrapped her fingers around his throbbing member to firmly stroke him, while adjusting her hips to position him at her entrance.

Goku sucked in a sharp breath when he felt her moist lips kiss his tip and slowly pull him in as she steadily lowered herself, groaning with delight at the way her walls tightly hugged his length and held him inside her. A deep guttural moan escaped her own lips as he stretched and filled her deeper and deeper, making him shudder from the sound of her voice.

This felt better than heaven, and Goku had actually been there to compare the two. He'd experienced this sensation before, but with Caulifla it felt different. There was more passion, more fire than the intense energy that burned in his body. Their breaths were becoming more ragged the further she slid down his length, with her hands on his shoulders and Goku's hands instinctively finding her hips to steady her as he reached her barrier.

A barrier he never felt as she connected their hips together with a sudden thrust. Goku arched his back with a gasp as her tight walls swallowed him completely, feeling her lean forward and bite his shoulder to stifle her own moan as she wiggled her hips against his in order to adjust herself to the welcome sensation of having him inside her.

 _'My god she's incredible!'_ Goku grunted inwardly as she continued to seemingly tease him deliberately by rotating her hips in slow circles, forcing his member to twitch wonderfully against her moist interior. He could already feel himself close to exploding and he assumed it was payback for what he'd done to her earlier.

This was confirmed when he felt her smirk against his shoulder with every twitch and pulse of his member within her.

He chuckled inwardly as another groan escaped his lips, _'I guess I deserve_ _it.'_ But for each little move he made inside her, he could also feel her small frame shudder on top of him with a breathy sigh. She was still sensitive from before and could feel herself approaching another orgasm. All she needed was a little _help_.

Caulifla released a sudden lust-filled squeak while arching her back when she felt Goku's hips briefly leave hers to press into the bed and thrust upward to immediately fill her again. She was given no time to recover before another thrust sent stars to the back of her vision, followed by another and another. His steady rhythm forced a series of moans to escape her lips while her hips unconsciously gyrated to the same rhythm against his own.

These sensations were similar to when she felt Goku's True Super Saiyan form for the first time, and again the second time. The way it penetrated her entire being... But this was far more intense. She could feel herself coming undone as she began to involuntarily clench around Goku's length, earning a shudder from the gyrating man beneath her.

"Goku..." Her voice had come out as a breathy whispered growl, a desperate pleading to match the look in her eyes as she rose to meet his glossy stare, "Show me that form again. Right now.". He felt his heart jump at the sudden assertion in her voice and tightened his grip on her bouncing hips. Her breath tickled his lips as she inched her face closer to his, "I wanna feel your power and desire _inside_ me." She then closed the distance to steal his lips with her own when at the same time their hips came together.

That sensation, she had loved the way it tickled her skin and penetrated her to her core, but she wanted to feel it more... intimately. She wanted to feel it from the inside out.

Goku merely froze for a second as his body continued to involuntarily keep up its pace with her. She wanted him to... Would she be able to handle it this close? What if he hurt her? Or worse?

Staring back into her eyes, that dark hungry look she was giving him left no room to decline. He didn't have to power up all the way. With the way she was clenching around him, neither of them would last that long.

Her heart began pounding even harder in anticipation as he secured a firm grip on her hips, feeling as if her muscle was going to beat right out of her chest when he gave her a reassuring nod and a grunted "Hold on."

She did just that as she felt his energy rising with a sudden _intense_ growl. Her nails left marks as they dug into his shoulders and she buried her face against his heaving chest, feeling that same tingling sensation from before begin to vibrate through her entire body as he transformed. Those powerful sensations penetrated her from within, electrifying every thrust inside of her to ignite every atom in her body with a deep _primal_ desire for more.

The sensations became almost unbearably intense as Goku continued to thrust inside her, nearly lacking the strength to meet his thrusts as her vision began to go white. Goku couldn't clench his teeth hard enough to match the way she was clenching around him, feeling that same electric sensation building dangerously within him.

They were both close. He supposed he should...

When he moved to grip her hips so he could pull himself out before it was too late, he felt her thighs squeeze tightly around his own hips before she rose from his chest to stare into his amber eyes with a look even more feral than his own. She then leaned in to brush her lips against his with a soft growl, "Don't you even think about it."

That was all he needed to hear for his grip on her hips to slacken before he formed a smirk against her lips, "I wouldn't dream of it.". She then closed the small distance to claim his lips and stifle a loud moan when as he thrust into her with a final burst of electric energy, arching into him as a powerful orgasm ripped through her. Goku was right behind her as the way her hips bucked against his and her muscles tightly squeezed him forced him to finally released himself inside her. His own vision began to turn white as every powerful convulsion of her orgasm caused her walls to tighten and squeeze around him, forcefully milking spurt after hot spurt of his seed deep within her.

* * *

The sounds of heavy passionate breaths filled the cabin as Goku held Caulifla to his chest, the latter using him as a mattress with the sound of his steady heartbeat slowly lulling the girl to sleep with a huge contented smile on her face. Her spiky hair tickled Goku's face as she shifted her sweat-covered body on top of his to get more comfortable, sighing while he stroked her hair.

"I really like training with you." Her voice was so soft and she sounded so drowsy, so... content, that it caused the male Saiyan under her let out a single soft chortle as his other hand caressed her spine the way that made her purr, "Training? How was this training?"

He felt her breathing begin to even out as his touch slowly lulled her to sleep. A playful smirk forming on her lips against his chest as she breathed out sleepily, "Because I get to touch you in places most other girls don't."

Before he could respond, she'd fallen asleep. She bounced softly on his chest as he let out another harder chuckle at her self quote. Even on the edge of consciousness, she was clever.

Goku regarded the angel asleep on top of him, feeling his heart swell from the memory of all the interactions they'd had, and how they turned out. His urge to care for and protect this soft, delicate, powerful, _beautiful_ creature nestled so vulnerably and trustingly in his arms felt stronger right now than anything.

He wasn't sure what would happen from here on, but he knew that he loved her. He knew he'd do anything to keep her safe.

That thought, coupled with Caulifla's soft rhythmic breathing against him, helped to relax Goku as he slowly drifted off, wearing a contented smile that he usually reserved for when he'd saved the galaxy from another strong opponent.

Or after a large Goku-sized meal, which in this case happened to be the same size as a certain small wild-haired Saiyan.

A Saiyan who'd had one single cognitive thought on her mind as she'd drifted off.

 _'I owe you one, Vados.'_

* * *

Outside in the now barren wasteland, a pink tube top - like a pair of shoes before it - lay discarded and forgotten.

Goku could always go fetch it the next morning, if it were to still be there.

But he'd agree that Caulifla looked more beautiful to him without it.

However, the serenity of the wasteland air was broken by the sound of large heavy footsteps that softly shook the ground. A malformed shadow cast itself over the pink material under the light of the moon.

"There it was again." A familiar inhuman voice growled out. Dark eyes narrowing with sinister mirth.

"He's _close_."

* * *

 **So yeah, another lemon. An _actual_ one this time... unless Caulifla wakes up and the whole story's events never happened! But hopefully the events seem believable. I feel like I've seen a few movies where people who've known each other for less time have gotten together.**

 **And by "a barrier he never felt", it doesn't necessarily mean Caulifla's had sex before. I've learned from past uh... Ok so to put it delicately, a woman's hymen doesn't _have_ to be torn during sex, not if the man is gentle enough. It's totally avoidable So I figured a female Saiyan body would be tough enough to withstand it and not have it torn, which Goku wasn't expecting.**

 ** **And who spotted the omitted detail before it was pointed out here? Actually, back at the river, she had dipped a toe into the water without taking a shoe off too, and in chapter 11 she'd compared some rocks to the size of her big toe. One of those instances where people might notice something, but not take conscious note of it xP****

 **The mysterious figure also makes another appearance! But who... or _what_ is it?**


	16. Chapter 16

**First off I wanna say thanks to everyone for the support. Glad you're liking it so far! Blew22, I'd say go for it. You don't need to become a great writer before you start writing. This is quite literally the first story I've ever written xD Which is why I won't be surprised if it doesn't meet some expectations.**

 **And don't worry, UltraSpink. Aside from me going in to change a line here or there, the whole fic is already done. I'm not one of those one-chapter-per-week/months kind of guy, because tbh I'd lose my motivation/inspiration if I took that long lol. Maybe why I got burnt out so fast.**

 **If you liked their intimate moment from last chapter, you'll like the beginning of this one xP**

* * *

Normally Caulifla did _not_ like mornings. That was why she always slept past them. However, _this_ particular morning was an exception; One that followed a very good nightmare-free sleep.

She awoke with a soft yawn as the sun's morning rays assaulted her closed lids, feeling unusually sore. As she began to stretch herself in a feline fashion, she gasped when felt something move inside her, _'What's..'_. Her thoughts trailed off as a blush formed on her now wide-awake face when she noticed a very asleep and _very_ naked Goku underneath her own naked body, with his hands cradling the small of her back just above her oh-so-naked ass.

Memories and sensations from last night came rushing back to her like an erotic dream, one that had thankfully been real as she felt him still buried snugly inside her. The way he seemed to burn within her made her want to melt in his embrace.

She felt her pulse quicken at one memory in particular. Gingerly lifting a hand to her neck, she shivered with delight as an electric jolt assaulted her heart when she felt his deep teeth marks on her neck, directly over her pulse point.

Not even Frieza's menacing stare could stop the smile of satisfaction that formed on her lips.

"Not gonna let this go to waste." She yawned, suddenly feeling sleepy again as she snuggled herself back onto Goku's chest, listening to the sound of his heartbeat while letting his gentle breathing lull her back to sleep.

"I hate mornings anyway."

* * *

It was a few hours later when a certain palm tree-haired Saiyan began to stir from his own peaceful slumber. The ballad of chirps and tweets from various birds outside formed a soothing alarm as he was roused from a particularly _exciting_ dream.

One that featured a prominent mound of spiky hair.

As Goku's senses slowly returned to him, he began to notice a few things. The fluff of his pillow as it cradled his head, the soft crinkle of sheets against his back, the... naked Caulifla molded snugly against his body?

The small girl shifted as she stirred slightly in his arms, before stretching with a soft yawn and settling back down. Goku's dark eyes widened with silent recognition, and a wider smile crept along his face with memories of the night before as he caught a glimpse of the mark he'd left on her neck.

What had he intended that mark to be? His body had moved by instinct last night. But he knew what it meant to him now, what she meant to him now.

And as if by instinct, his fingers found their place softly trailing up and down her spine in a familiar rhythm. He rather liked the effect it had on her the first time he'd done it, and aside from their current lack of clothes, it hadn't felt much different back then.

Back then it had excited him too.

A soft moan broke the silence as a drowsy Caulifla again shifted on top of him, extending her arms over Goku's shoulders while arching her back in another catlike stretch, shivering at his wonderful touch. His smiling face was the first thing that blurred into view as her eyes fluttered open, returning his smile with a soft peck to his lips, "Good morning." The way her raspy voice could sound sleepy yet full of energy at the same time was astounding.

Goku continued to trace his fingers along the contours of her spine, causing her to practically melt against him while tilting her head to rest the side of her face against his chest as she watched him.

"My little Cauli flower sleep well?" His question was mostly rhetorical, but he really wanted to tease her with that. A tease that was met with a roll of the eyes, coupled by large grin and a blush before she decided to tease him back, "Not particularly." She watched him grin back at her obvious lie before she continued, "My mattress was a bit _hard_ and now I'm feeling sore." At her emphasis on the word 'hard', she wiggled her hips seductively against his, shifting his now rock-hard member inside of her, causing Goku to shiver and her to release a sigh that bordered on a moan.

Goku chuckled darkly while his smirk grew more sinister, "Oh really?" His voice had become husky as he regarded the little feline - who felt her heart rate increasing - stretched over him, shifting his fingers further down to scratch along that spot on the base of her spine over her tailbone, "I guess that means you're too sore for some morning _training_ then, huh?"

He watched with satisfaction as his touch had the desired effect. She bit her lip to stifle another moan as she arched her back with a shudder, her eyes drifting shut while unconsciously gyrating her hips against his.

"F-fucking tease..." She purred out with a breathy sigh, with her words of protest being betrayed by the formation of a sly smile. The familiar dark hungry look in her eyes as she opened them was the last thing Goku saw before she pounced on him.

* * *

It wasn't until about an hour later that the two Saiyan lovebirds had finally settled down and begun to get dressed.

Or... attempted to, until Caulifla had encountered a slight "problem".

"Hey... Goku? Uhh... where's my top?"

* * *

"HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

To say Goku was impressed with Caulifla would be an understatement. No, not just because he'd come to love the girl (as he'd done _many_ times this morning). She had truly become much stronger than when he first met her. It had only been a few days since she had found out that Super Saiyan was even a thing, and right now she was currently blocking his Kamehameha wave without much trouble.

His _Super Saiyan **THREE**_ Kamehameha wave.

As a Super Saiyan 3 herself.

Her long golden hair whipped through the air as the force of Goku's blast threatened to blow a hole in the planet and take her with it, but with a final shout of strength, the Saiyan girl lurched forward with a powerful energy-filled punch and sent his blast soaring back at him. He had just enough time to admire her performance with a satisfied grin before placing his fingers to his forehead and using Instant Transmission to vanish from the beam's path and appear behind the startled girl.

She recovered quickly with a determined grin and spun around to meet his attack. Their fists connected with a powerful force that destroyed the immediate area, before they vanished.

Long spikes of gold danced through a background of green as the two darted between lush trees at the base of the mountain they'd decided to train at, after their old training spot had... lost its "edge".

A problem that this location was soon to share as each blow they traded in the forest brought more trees crashing down to leave only stumps in their wake.

 _'I have to get stronger! I need to stand by Goku's side so I can protect him!'_

Again the image of Frieza appeared to taunt her darkest thoughts. This time, though, she merely ground her teeth and punched straight through his sneering face to meet Goku's fist again, the ground-shaking force causing a geyser to erupt nearby and shower the area with a small rainbow.

The water droplets seemed to fall in slow motion between them, as they shared both a confident yet affectionate smirk towards one another, before the two pushed off of each other to land about 50 feet apart. The two stood still for only a second before engulfing themselves in fire and electricity, powering up for their next attack with a force that tore the ground around them asunder.

"This is exactly what I've been looking for. Someone who can _really_ get my blood pumping!" Goku's gruff voice did nothing to hide his excitement as he eyed the girl in front of him.

Caulifla merely mock-scoffed while throwing on a sly grin, "Oh? In which way, _senpai_?" Oh how much she loved calling him that.

Goku merely shifted down into a loaded stance, his gaze hardening with focus while his grin grew to match hers, "Both, _sweetheart_."

Oh how he loved calling _her_ that.

The following jolt in her heart was the ignition that caused them both to erupt with an explosive force of power as they dashed towards each other, vanishing just before they collided. A second later, the sky became littered with shockwave after shockwave as the two impacted with each other throughout the sky faster than the eye could see.

And apparently a little too fast for Caulifla when, as she threw another punch at Goku, he decided to dash back a bit rather than block it, and use his backward momentum to flip forward and land an axe-kick on her shoulder, sending the wailing girl spiraling down to the ground with a loud crash.

 _'Damn. How can someone with such gentle magical hands hit so hard?'_ Caulifla gritted her teeth with an eye squinted shut as she rubbed the shoulder where he'd kicked her, before then rubbing her posterior that she'd landed on, _'But then I'm glad he doesn't hold back with me just because he...'_ She trailed off as her grimace was replaced with a soft smile.

 _'... loves me.'_ If the day ever came when that thought didn't make her heart skip a beat, she assumed it'd be because she'd be dead.

The sound of the object of her affection landing a few meters away from her brought her attention back to the battlefield. A small crystal clear river was the only thing separating the two of them, and while Goku regarded her with his usual lighthearted challenging stare, she was wearing a more affectionate smile. Her state of mind was in an entirely different place from before.

But maybe she could use that to her advantage?

"Ready to give up, Cauli?" Goku flashed cocky smirk as he taunted her. He knew that she more than anyone wouldn't back down that easily. But he also knew, in more ways than one, how to stimulate her into action.

The slight twitch of her hairless eyebrows as she folded her arms told him everything he needed to know about her answer, "As if! You know I'm always ready to go a few rounds with you, Goku!" She shot back with a challenging yet sly smirk that made no effort to hide the double meaning of her words.

Goku's foot slid out ever-so-slightly to widen his stance as he prepared himself for her attack, the innuendo not lost on him, "Heh. Is that so? Well then..." His muscles tensed and his eyes flashed, while she swallowed a lump in her throat and crouched down as she prepared to launch her final decisive attack.

"...give me all you've got, sweetheart!"

A small twitch of her foot was the only movement she made before she bolted towards him, the force of her momentum splitting the river into two cascading walls of glistening water behind her as she advanced on him. The Saiyan male lifted an arm to block her incoming punch.

Only to be caught off guard when she spread her arms to wrap them around his chest while hooking her legs around his waist, staring into his widened eyes with the sweetest, most affectionate, most evil smile she could produce as she reverted back to base form and inched her face closer to his.

"Open wide, senpai~!" She didn't need the seductive tone that lined her voice as she sung out the words, seeing as his mouth was already slightly agape with the gasp her action had earned, and so she took the opportunity to help herself by claiming his lips with hers.

After about a second of shock wore off, Goku finally responded by wrapping his arms around the girl latched onto him and returning the kiss while reverting back to his base form as well. He was rewarded for his actions when a gentle moan escaped her lips to vibrate the inside of his mouth.

A moan she followed up with a mischievous giggle, to where Goku gasped and broke the kiss as she held onto him and stared into his widened eyes, "Looks like I win!" She smiled brightly with her forehead practically touching his.

The Saiyan gave her an almost childlike frown in response as he continued to hold onto her as well, as if this was something completely normal for them, "Aww! No fair! You know that trick only works on me!" His whining only made her burst into another fit of giggles.

" _No_ ~..." She sung out with a hint of tease, "It'd work on a lot of guys." She almost gushed at the way his frown fell into an adorable pout, responding with a softer smile while tilting her head to place another affectionate kiss on the tip of his nose before hopping off of him.

Taking a step back, she put her arms behind her back while tilting forward with an equally-adorable grin, "You're just the only one I'd use it on."

That answer was enough for him as sighed with a chuckle, smiling at how cute she looked.

She wasn't lying, after all.

"I wouldn't have it any other way." He didn't have to tell her that either, but he loved seeing her eyes shine at him when he did, "Regardless, I'm really proud of how far you've come in such a short amount of time."

Such simple word, but they still caused her grin to widen with the hint of a blush from his praise, "And I'll only continue to get even stronger with such a great teacher!" Her confident declaration came with the folding of her arms and a firm nod.

 _'And then go pay Frieza the ass-kicking that I owe him for fucking with my man.'_ She was sure she'd never be satisfied until she payed him a personal visit in HELL and... well he was _already_ dead...

Was there a sub-HELL she could send him to? One he couldn't possibly come back from.

Caulifla abandoned those musings for now as she watched her words make her man smile from ear-to-ear, before he reached out to smooth his hand through her spiky hair, giving her the urge to purr like the cat he was petting her like.

"No doubt. It's only a matter of time before you achieve True Super Saiyan." His smile then grew into a goofy grin as he started to laugh while removing his hand from her hair to scratch his cheek, "Then we'd have to find a whole other planet just to spar on!"

His infectious goofy laughter caused her to chortle softly, before a more devious thought entered her mind. Goku was brought out of his laughter with a surprised breath when Caulifla grabbed hold of the front of his gi to pull him forward while pressing her body against his.

"Really? A _whole_ planet to ourselves... _just_ to spar?" She teased while winking at him, her face again a mere few inches from his own, "Sure you're not just trying to get me alone for something else?"

The blushes she kept managing to force onto that handsome face of his made Caulifla's heart jump every time, but he then turned the tables when he flashed her a sly grin back, making her squeak in surprise when he grabbed her upper arms and leaned in to steal a sudden kiss from her, pulling away before she had time to enjoy it.

"I don't need to get you alone for that. If I wanted, I would take you right..." His voice had darkened just enough to give her a blush of her own, feeling her pulse quicken as he leaned in to finish with a whisper, "... _here_."

 _Damn_ he was good. But then, part of the fun of teasing him was the pleasure she got whenever he'd one-up her.

Caulifla shuddered as his words tickled her ear and hidden places beyond, tightening her grip on his gi ever-so-slightly, "I-is that so?" Her voice had sounded a bit more breathy than she intended.

He squeezed her shoulders in his soft yet firm grip as he pulled back from her ear to look into her eyes with a warm smile, nodding slightly, "Ab-so-lutely." He flashed her a toothed grin that forced a small smile to form on her features.

But then his mood seemed to shift. His grin fell for a brief moment as he took a small step back, causing Caulifla to give him a confused look. It was only a brief moment that his eyes darted off to the side, before he regarded her with a small smile of his own and a brief sigh.

"But right now I'm kinda tired from using so much energy before. I wasn't kidding when I said you got a hell of a lot stronger!" To her surprise, he'd given her shoulders another firm squeeze to shake her slightly, making her roll her eyes with a soft giggle as she gently brushed his hands off.

" _You_ tired?" She mock scoffed while playfully pushing him in the chest, to which he pretended to fall over as if to prove his point, causing her to put her hand over her mouth to stifle a laugh, "As if I believe _that_!"

He merely gave her a nervous laugh as he rubbed the back of his head and hopped to his feet, "Well maybe not _that_ tired." The answer seemed to appease her when she regarded him with a more genuine look, his own features becoming a bit more serious, "But there's a technique I wanna show you that's somewhat related to becoming Saiyan God. Problem is, it takes a lot out of me."

She blinked. Ok, _that_ had her interest.

Questions like _'What's the technique?'_ , _'How's it related to god ki?'_ , and _'You're not pulling my leg, are you?'_ all scrambled in her mind for her tongue's attention. However, Goku beat her to the punch when he saw her eyes light up with an eager expression that looked like she was about to pounce on him, holding his hands up to defend himself _just in case_.

"Now hold on! Before you get too carried away." He nearly burst out laughing as she gave him a look that reminded him of a child being forced to wait to be given a new toy in front of them.

She really was adorable; And wonderful; And beautiful; And kind.

That's why he couldn't...

"I'm gonna show it to you now. I just need a Senzu Bean to get my strength back, and I kinda..." He looked off to the side while laughing nervously and scratching the back of his head, before turning his gaze back to her, "... left them at the cabin."

She merely rolled her eyes as she gave him a knowing look, _'I have a feeling I already know where this is going-'_

"Can you go get them for me, _please_?" Yep. As soon as she'd finished her thought, he confirmed it while reaching to clasp her hands in his own, pulling her to him to place a gentle kiss on her forehead and causing her to blush, before pulling away gently, "I'd use Instant Transmission to just teleport to them, but I'm too tired to even use _that_."

She merely stared at him for a second, with a slightly faster pulse, _'Hand-holding, forehead kissing, **and** pouting?'_ There was no beating that combo. She relented by leaning up to peck him on the cheek.

"You're lucky I love you." She teased with a sigh and an affectionate smile as she stepped back. A smile he returned while they waved to each other before she flew off.

 _'You're lucky I love you, too...'_ He continued to watch her with a warm smile until she was long out of view.

His smile immediately fell.

"Alright. That's enough hiding." Goku's called out with an icy tone, "I can sense your energy."

* * *

The distinct smells of the forest cabin brought back so many memories to Caulifla as she shifted her gaze around in search of those magic healing beans.

It was where she'd both woken up from her worst nightmare, and to her greatest dream come true.

The night she spent here with Goku. How many more would she get to spend with him?

She lifted his pillow from this morning. The material still had an indent from when he'd used it, and the entire bed smelled of them. Those memories brought her hand to her neck, to caress the mark he'd left with a soft shiver and a contented smile.

All the moments they've had, and what it lead to... None of it would've happened if she hadn't stepped in and saved Goku from Frieza...

She shook that horrible tyrant's face from her mind. He couldn't hurt Goku anymore.

 _'I'm gonna make sure I can spend **every** night with him.'_

She was by the front door when an earth-shattering explosion vibrated the entire ground. A second later, a painful shockwave ripped through her body, shaking her to the bone and shattering all the windows while bringing her to her knees.

"What the hell was that!?" Caulifla cried out in shock, before she gasped and began to shake when she felt a monstrously huge power level nearby.

She then felt a sudden chill. It felt just like-

 _"Oh how I've **waited** for this moment for so long!"_

"Frieza..." The tyrant's voice in her head practically whispered into her ear and turned her veins to ice.

Caulifla paled, feeling a stab in her heart when she realized the direction it was coming from and immediately turning to bolt out the door and launch herself into the air, producing a sonicboom with a bloodcurtling scream.

" _ **GOKU**_!"

* * *

 **Such a sweet beginning and such a bitter end. Sorry to end on another cliffhanger, but it's almost over. I don't know if this upcoming conflict is up to snuff with the rest of the story, but I promise the ending is cute at least!**

 **And hopefully you're liking the relationship between them now that their feelings have been brought out and recognized by them both. And in case you hadn't guessed, while Goku is tired, he intentionally sent Caulifla away because he had sensed this malicious monstrous power was nearby, and despite how she said she'd protect him and travel as far as it took so he wouldn't have to face stuff alone, he didn't want her near it.**

 **If you thought that "Cauli flower" thing was kinda lame or cheesy, I was kinda going for that xD I actually added that in as an afterthought, so unless I sneak it in somewhere else, you only have to deal with it here. I don't think she'd mind it from Goku. She already called him cheesy lol.**

 **And despite Goku definitely being stronger, that's two sparring sessions she's won now, with the one from the evening before being more his favor (3 times vs 1, you know xP), but it stands to say she'd beat him more than the other way around in this fic, just because she has a charm over him and she knows it. Of course he could turn that charm on her too, but she's more adorable about it lol.**

 **So now... on to the next chapter (after I touch it up as best I can)!**


	17. Chapter 17

**Ok so, since this is obviously the reveal of the bad guy, I should give you some context to go off of while imagining what he looks and sounds like.**

 **Think TFS' Imperfect Cell, and looking roughly like this:**

 **i  
DOT  
i**  
 **m**  
 **g**  
 **u**  
 **r  
DOT  
c**  
 **o**  
 **m  
FORWARD SLASH  
45UJ2KV  
DOT  
j**  
 **p**  
 **g**

 **Just line it up... and replace the dot and forward slash with the actual symbols obviously lol.**

 **Because those are the two things I had in mind when writing this, I also found myself using a lot of their lines as inspiration for dialogue in this chapter... like a lot more than I realized xD DBZA just has so many awesome lines that it transcends even the original dialogue.**

* * *

"Alright. That's enough hiding. I can sense your energy."

Following Goku's tone of ice, the air was filled with a tense silence, as if the entire mountainside itself were holding its breath. Goku kept a calm sharp gaze, suddenly tensing every muscle in his body.

Then it struck.

The Saiyan took a step back as bright rays of concentrated light erupted from the cracks in the ground around him, before engulfing him and the entire area in a large explosion, creating a massive shockwave that tore the surrounding trees from its roots and caused fissures throughout the nearby mountain, followed by an ear-shattering sonicboom. The ground at the epicenter was torn asunder, resulting in a cloud of dust and debris that nearly towered over the mountain itself.

A few moments passed before Goku was seen dashing back from the haze with a trail of dust following him, before stopping in the air to look down in wide-eyed shock at the devastation. The orange shirt of his gi had been scorched off and he had a few marks on him, but otherwise seemed fine.

 _'That was too close! But now...'_ The Saiyan gritted his teeth and darted his eyes around to survey the clearing debris below with a frustrated growl, _'I can't sense his energy anymore!'_

He didn't have to look far.

"It was brave how you sent your girlfriend away to keep her safe.". Goku's eyes widened when he heard a disturbingly distorted voice behind him, "But _she's_ not the one I'm after."

Before Goku could turn around, his eyes shot even wider and then clenched shut as he let out an intense scream of pain when a sharp root-like tendril pierced through his shoulder from behind, causing him to lose all control of his arm as it fell limp by his side. Blood spurted from the wound and coated the tip of the tendril as it stuck out from his shoulder, before it was violently ripped from him when a blast of energy struck his back and sent him flying to the ground below with anther pained scream and an almost-as-loud crash.

Aside from his arm - which had lost all feeling from the shoulder down - the rest of Goku's body trembled from the pain as he struggled to pick himself up from the rubble. With heavy breaths, he held his shoulder in his hand as he looked up to see a brownish humanoid creature that more resembled a tree. The monster cackled to itself before floating down to hover closer to the injured Saiyan.

"Come on now. I was hoping for more of a challenge than _this_." The creature taunted with mock disappointment, eyeing Goku with what looked like a sinister grin, "Even that girl put up more of a fight two nights ago."

That did it.

With a fierce grunt, Goku's hair became gold in a furious burst of power as he entered Super Saiyan 2, before he took off with enough force to split the ground where he stood, his left arm hanging loosely behind him and a blinding pain shooting through his body as he flew, but he didn't care.

"That's the spirit!" The wood-like monster shouted in near ecstasy as the enraged Saiyan crashed into it with his elbow, forcing the creature back while Goku kept up the assault, landing a flurry of punches and kicks with murder in his eyes, "WHAT DID YOU DO TO HER!?"

Memories of Caulifla's near lifeless body in his arms fueled his ire as he continued to lay into the deranged creature. His onslaught was repelled by a sudden burst of energy from the monster, sending Goku flying back a few feet. It immediately rushed in, with Goku recovering just in time to dodge its attack before the two began to trade blows, Goku doing the best he could to both block and attack with only one arm.

"Oh I merely had a sample of her energy... or a few. But don't worry, I made sure she forgot the whole thing." It then caught Goku's fist in its own grip, pulling him in to look into the Saiyan's murderous gaze, "You do know how to pick 'em, because she was **_delicious_**."

* * *

Caulifla's heart was pounding in her chest as she raced back to Goku with blinding speed, feeling the two power levels continue to clash. Her body trembled as that horrifying scene at the tournament came to life before her. It was no longer just a horrible memory. Goku was in _real_ danger, and she was so far away!

 _'Goku..._ _ **please!**_ _'_ She pleaded desperately in her mind, as if her thoughts would be able to will him to her and out of harm's way. It didn't work, obviously. All she could see was Frieza's face, threatening to take him away again.

 _Why_!? Not now! Not after everything! He'd already been nearly taken from her once, and now he meant more to her than ever!

 _'I told him I loved him! I said I'd be with him and protect him!'_ Her thoughts continued to send painful stabs through her chest.

No... This couldn't be happening right now. She _had_ to be having another nightmare. What were the odds that he'd be attacked right after sending her awa...

Her irises shrank as her blood suddenly ran cold.

 _'No...'_ Caulifla released a shaky gasp in realization, _'He did it on purpose...'_ She felt her eyes begin to sting as Goku's warm voice echoed in her ears.

 _"We get our true strength from protecting the people we care about."_

"YOU _**IDIOT**_! DON'T YOU **DARE**! _**I'M**_ SUPPOSED TO PROTECT _**YOU**_!" Caulifla cried out in anguish, clenching her eyes shut as she fought back a series of sobs that threatened to escape her, but unable to stop a shimmer of tears from falling.

She was _not_ gonna let him get away with doing this to her! She was gonna-

A sudden upsurge of power from Goku caused her eyes to shoot open, before the shockwave it generated tore through the air, instantly blowing the leaves from the trees in front of her and nearly pushing her back in her flight. This energy... Caulifla recognized it immediately with a slight shudder, _'Super Saiyan God...'_ This was serious. That power brought back so many memories.

Memories she'd like to continue making with him...

That was it. _'Fuck_ _ **all**_ _of these guys!'_ She balled her fists hard enough to turn her knuckles white as she used an arm to wipe the tears from her eyes, removing it to reveal a look of steel as she bared her teeth and shot forward with a sudden burst of speed.

She had _had_ it with these pieces of shit coming after Goku.

She was gonna put a stop to this _now_!

And then she was gonna pinch Goku a million times for what he did!

* * *

The creature cackled tauntingly as he watched a bright blue aura of enormous power erupt from Goku, flattening all of the trees below them almost instantly. His spiky golden hair had changed to a brilliantly shimmering aquamarine and he held a murderous glare as icy as his hair.

"Ohoho! Did that strike a nerv-URK!" Its eyes nearly bulged out as Goku cut it off with a swift knee to his stomach, causing it to lurch forward and come face-to-face with the pissed Saiyan, who spoke with a low tone full of venom.

"Did **that**?"

The creature's mouth merely hung open in a silent gasp, but even if it had tried to answer, Goku immediately pivoted himself around to hit the monster with his limp arm and sent it flying to the ground below with a loud crash.

There was no sign of movement within the cloud of dust as Goku watched it settle with a hard gaze, before he heard the monster's unsettlingly jubilant cackle from inside,"Now that's. More. **LIKE IT**!" He finished with a sudden explosion of energy while kicking off the ground towards the Saiyan.

Goku responded by narrowing his eyes before dashing down towards the charging monster to meet it halfway, waiting until they were just an inch from colliding before vanishing and, at the same time, reappearing behind it to jab his elbow into the its back and send it flying in a tumble through the air.

Wasting no time, the enraged Saiyan put two fingers between his narrowed eyes to disappear again, reappearing in front of the prone monster while pivoting to deliver a powerful kick to its stomach as it flew into his foot, stopping it cold. Its eyes practically bulged out of its head in pain, before morphing its face into a sneer as it used its finger roots to snake out and wrap around Goku's leg. The Saiyan let out a startled gasp before the monster recovered from its initial pain and began to spin itself around, and Goku with it.

The Saiyan could feel himself becoming dizzy from the centrifugal force playing with his senses as he was continuously spun around, before the monster suddenly pivoted to release the Saiyan in a corkscrew-like spiral towards the ground while giving chase.

As Goku collided with the ground, the force created a small upsurge of earth around him while causing him to bounce off the ground and a few feet into the air. In the span of that time, the monster had rushed into the dust to slam into Goku with its outstretched hand of sharp tendrils, only for the Saiyan to instantly vanish with the creature hitting nothing as it landed. A split second after it landed, Goku reappeared in a dash and hit it with enough force to send the creature into a spiral in-place above the ground, a spiral which Goku ended by first sending a knee up into its back, making it arch and sputter in pain, before removing his knee to deliver a powerful elbow into its upward-curved stomach, sending it back into the ground.

The instant the monster made contact with the ground, Goku made a startled sound before dashing into the air, just in time to avoid when it tensed itself up and extended sharp root-like tendrils from its entire body at lightning speed. As the Saiyan flew back, he gritted his teeth while he charging a ki blast into his right hand to begin firing a volley onto the seemingly open creature, however, just as he was about to release the energy, the ground behind him split open with a swarm of roots shooting up in an attempt to impale him.

 _'This thing reminds me of Majin Buu!'_ Goku let out a surprised growl with wide eyes, twisting his body to narrowly escape each incoming tendril, with a few of them grazing an arm and a leg to leave deep-but-non-fatal scratches in his skin.

As Goku pivoted his body around the roots, he looked down to where the monster was, only to feel a sense of panic when he saw it wasn't there! Realization dawned on him with a gasp as said monster shot up from the ground with the roots it had tried to impale him with, having been connected to them. It traveled along its roots toward Goku with an arm brought back to strike the Saiyan, only for Goku to twist his body further while swinging his arm down to thrust the ki blast he was still holding to meet the creature's own hand, creating a point-blank explosion between them that sent them both flying far apart.

After coming to a stop, the two simply hovered in place as they regarded each other, both panting from their exchange. Despite the anger he felt towards the monster, Goku couldn't stop his Saiyan blood from forcing a small smirk on his face from the challenge he was facing. This thing was strong, and Goku was feeling even more exhausted than before, but it was looking pretty tired as well.

"Now that might not have done a lot of damage... but **_damn_** it felt good." The Saiyan declared between heavy breaths. He knew this would be over already if he used Ultra Instinct, but for some reason he couldn't channel his energy for it, ever since being imp-

"Oh you _should_ feel proud." The monster's amused unnatural voice cut Goku's thoughts off, "By a wide margin, you're the biggest challenge I've come across." It then narrowed its eyes with a dark grin, "Of course, my last victim wasn't as suspecting as you. Which is why..."

Goku immediately tensed up when he felt an enormous concentration of energy begin to build up within the creature before him as it rose a root-like hand to the sky. The ground below him began to shake with such a force that it even vibrated the air around him. Lightning began to crackle in the now-distorting space above the monster's hand, where a pitch-black sphere of condensed energy started to form.

The Saiyan's eyes widened more as the sphere continued to grow, along with the electricity which began to arc violently from its epicenter. Large chunks of the earth below them split with fissures and started crumbling under the weight of the growing energy, which caused Caulifla to stop with horror as even she - from her distance - could now see the enormous sphere of energy that was starting to tower over the shaking mountain in the far distance.

The Saiyan girl came to an abrupt halt with a sharp gasp as she stared in frozen terror at the largest concentration of energy she'd ever seen. Even from her distance, its weight was threatening to crush her. _Enormous_ arcs of electricity were lancing out from it to carve through the land below, one even lashing out to sizzle the air a few feet from her, causing her to flinch from its piercing hiss and static heat.

The energy was even bigger than the Spirit Bomb she'd seen from...

Caulifla felt her heart sink into her stomach, "GOKU!" Whatever fear she had of that ball was washed away by her fear for the man who was its obvious target, sending another painful jolt to her heart before she began racing toward the attack with reckless abandon, only one thought on her mind.

 _'I know I said 'to the ends of the universe', but after this, I'm_ _ **never**_ _letting you out of my sight again!''_

That thought drove her forward even as the sight of the ball beginning to descend toward the ground below sent a shudder of terror through her entire body.

"Which is why I'll just have to end this now by sending you and this _entire_ planet **INTO OBLIVION**!" The monster barked at the top of its lungs as it threw its arm down and sent the massive concentration of energy toward the Saiyan and the planet below him.

Fire coursed through the Saiyan's veins as his body erupted with hot flames of sapphire energy and a ferocious scream. Concentrating that energy into his right arm, he extended it in front of him to intercept the football stadium-sized sphere of darkness. The intense force of the energy's weight alone made his bones feel like they were going to snap, which was met with an equally intense burning sensation as the black mass made contact with his palm.

Goku's resistance was able to slow down its descent toward the earth, but he could feel it slowly pushing him back as he gritted his teeth and grunted against its monolithic weight. Powerful bolts of electricity shot from its surface and arced just inches from his skin as if attempting to stop him, and Goku felt his arm go slightly numb from the powerful static field they created.

Forcing even more strength into his arm, the struggling Saiyan pushed back to slow the death ball's descent even more, with a fire in his eyes that seemed to burn with hotter intensity than the mass of energy he was staring down. Shifting his gaze to the side, his narrow expression fell into one of panic when he saw Caulifla's small form off in the distance and fast-approaching.

 _'What!? She's back_ _ **already**_ _!?'_ The Saiyan gritted his teeth with a desperate growl as he turned his focus back to the darkness in front of him.

This wasn't good. He didn't want her anywhere _near_ this!

 _'I've gotta end this_ _ **now**_ _!'_ Goku tightened his features as he began to channel all of his remaining energy into his outstretched arm.

He'd have to make this count!

"KA... ME..."

Goku practically began to roar out, pausing while clenching his jaw as he struggled to push his energy from his arm and against the sphere of dark energy pushing back. This was already so much harder than doing a normal Kamehameha, and the Saiyan found himself almost smirking ironically at the situation, _'You'd be proud of me right now, Gohan.'_

Gohan... and Goten... His thoughts were brought back to his family. He had already thoroughly settled his thoughts and feelings for Chi-Chi on the night he spent with Caulifla, though Chi-Chi had been far from his mind at the time. His sons, however... he'd have to have a talk with them about it. Caulifla was a special part of his life now, and he was gonna enjoy every minute of it with her.

But for that, he first had to make sure she... everyone survived!

"HA... ME..."

Caulifla's heart continued to pound as she sped towards the giant bone-crushing ball of death and the two clashing power levels among it. Soon she would be there, and then she could do... whatever it took. _Anything_ to help Goku. She didn't care what. She said she'd make sure he never had to face this shit alone! She couldn't see him, but his energy signature sent a warm pulse through her that melted some of the ice in her veins.

It meant that he was alive, which was all that mattered to her.

"Thank god I'm not too late!" Despite herself, Caulifla's head bobbed as the words came out in a loud-yet-relieved sigh, a breath she hadn't known she'd been holding, _'When this is done, I'm gonna hit him so hard that our future kids will feel it!'_

Caulifla gasped as she felt her pounding heart skip at the thought. Her mind had voiced it as quickly and automatically as it had appeared. She'd never dreamed of starting a family while running her gang back on Sadala, but now...

She was broken from that thought when she felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up as she sensed a _large_ surge of energy rising from Goku, causing the static pressure in air to begin vibrating violently, penetrating her to the core. She recognized it immediately, but something about the way he was channeling it felt... different, Different in a way that unsettled her, "That's-"

"HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

Goku's soul-shattering voice seemed to shake the heavens as, in an instant, the dark sphere formed cracks of blue light from its core before violently exploding with a massive shockwave, followed by a deafening sonicboom as an enormous blue beam pierced straight through it and continued on towards the stunned monster.

The force was enough to stop Caulifla in her tracks as she shielded her eyes while fighting not to be blown away by the shockwave, which she swore was about to shake her into a million pieces and crush those pieces back into one. Despite her fear, and despite he panic, she couldn't help but stare in awe, not only at the intense display of power that vibrated every atom in her body, but also the emotion behind it that caused her to feel weak.

Goku was _furious_. But...

Every muscle in Goku's body tensed as he forced more energy into the blast that shook even his own entire being, his voice not wavering for one second, even after the beam had reached the stunned creature. The resulting impact creating another violent explosion.

He was also burning up his remaining energy!

Caulifla's hair whipped around wildly in the wind as she grunted through gritted teeth to push herself through the combined shockwaves that threatened to tear her apart atom-by-atom, desperately trying to make it to Goku, _'So close... He's so close! Please! '_ She felt his energy drop significantly from that attack and could tell he was exhausted.

She had to get there! This was just like last time! Only...

" **No**! Not this time!" With a fierce shout, Caulifla tensed up and threw her arms down as a familiar golden aura erupted from her body, forcing every ounce of her being into the transformation as she pushed herself all the way to Super Saiyan 3. Her long golden hair flowed behind her as she used her increased power to break through the force of the shockwave with an ear-splitting sonicboom, rushing to close the distance between her and the tired man she loved.

Said Saiyan was currently panting heavily as he held held his arm out while the ringing from the explosion died down. His arm felt almost numb after having forced that much energy through it, with the only sensation being countless pinpricks as his skin and muscles tingled. His left shoulder was still throbbing, and he grunted as he forced his right arm to move just so he could hold his hand over his wounded shoulder.

But at least it was over. At least they were... No!

Goku's exhausted lids slowly widened as the smoke cleared, revealing an image of the very-much-alive creature, which had used his root-like tendrils to snake around him and block the blast at the last second. It had righted itself and was covered in scorch marks, breathing heavily as it eyed the stunned Saiyan.

"I'll admit, I wasn't expecting _that_." It continued to breath heavily, before calming itself as it regarded the horrified Saiyan, "Ultimately fruitless, but for what it's worth..." Its eyes then widened into a furious yet excited glare, "That hurt like **HELL**."

Goku could feel himself break out into a cold sweat. He'd poured _everything_ into that blast! But then he looked more carefully at the creature and released a tired sigh of relief, _'He looks pretty exhausted himself!'_ He saw Caulifla approaching at supersonic speed with an intense energy that burned the air around her.

 _'Now it shouldn't be a problem.'_

It should be ok, now. She should be safe. The two of them could take it together!

As if reading Goku's thoughts, the being of wood looked back over its shoulder with a start when he felt Caulifla's crackling energy racing towards them. It appeared nervous at first, before releasing an amused chuckle and turning its attention back to Goku, "Well, this could get awkward." The creature's calm tone felt unsettling to Goku as he watched it slowly raise its tendril'd palm to the sky, "How about I slip us into something more... **comfortable**?"

To Goku's shock and Caulifla's horror, the two Saiyans watched as a pinkish purple sphere of glass-like energy formed around both Goku and itself. The sight of the familiar dimensional barrier nearly made Caulifla's heart stop, _'No...'_

That barrier was just like the chasm that separated her from Goku when he fought Frieza. The one she couldn't cross, and instead was forced to watch him almost-

"NO!" Releasing a scream that seemed to shake the solid wall of energy, she gritted her teeth and, with furious tears in her eyes, collided into it with her outstretched fist, feeling the energy burn her whitened knuckles.

She felt her chest tighten and her tears continue to build up when, to her terror, the barrier didn't even dent. Her eyes squinted as she felt them starting to sting, her thoughts again being brought back to the tournament where she was helpless to interfere. She'd never been so terrified before, until now.

The creature inside wasn't Frieza, but to her it may as well be. It had a similar monstrous energy and was trying to take Goku away from her! Speaking of Goku... she shifted her gaze to the man she was being forcefully separated from, only gasp as she felt her heart sink.

His left arm was hanging limp. _'That's why his Kamehameha felt different!'_ A sudden stab of pain hit her when she saw the blood coating his right hand as he held it over his shoulder, her face forming into a grimace before she turned to glare at the creature in front of him.

This wasn't gonna happen. Not again. Whatever this monster had done, she was going to make. Him. Pay!

"ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

With a furious growl, Caulifla's body erupted with storm-creating power as she began hammering her fists into the barrier over and over, gritting her teeth angrily with her punches growing more furious as she let both her hatred for this creature and her fears fuel them.

"LET. ME. **IN**!" The last word erupted from her throat in a soul-shattering roar as she poured all of her anger and frustration into one final punch, which caused her knuckles to bleed and sent a ripple throughout the entire barrier.

To Goku's shock, the force of the impact even sent a powerful shockwave through the air inside the sphere. But to Caulifla's horror, that's _all_ it did. The monster inside, however, seemed thoroughly amused.

"Ohoho! I could **feel** that one!" It turned its gleeful attention toward her, squinting its eyes as it taunted her, "Something bothering you?"

Caulifla couldn't tell if her body was shaking in anger, terror, or both, but she didn't care. Whatever it was, she could feel it _boiling_ inside her as she clenched her jaw and flashed her eyes dangerously at the creature before snapping at him, " ** _You son of a bitch! I-_** "

"Who are you!? Why are you doing this!?" It was Goku who cut off Caulifla's outburst with a desperate shout. His own eyes shined with a dangerous fury at the creature. He didn't like it having its attention on her. The Saiyan girl merely glared with murder in her eyes as the creature brought its attention back to Goku and let out a flattered chortle.

"Well seeing as you're about to die, I guess I owe you that much." The creature's eyes narrowed with a grin while Caulifla felt her own eyes narrow, having heard more than enough. "And you asked so nicely." It added sarcastically to taunt the Saiyan.

She wanted to tear this monster in two and then tear those pieces in two before blasting them all to a crisp, but took the opportunity to calm herself down and think of... anything while it was preoccupied. They were right there! **Goku** was _right there_! She felt so close yet so helplessly far away...

"The short of it is..." Her thoughts were interrupted when the creature started speaking again, "My name... is Stem. I was created as the result of a bioengineering experiment by a doctor named Kogga, with the sole desire of becoming the strongest being in the universe." At that Stem clenched his root-like "fingers" into a fist to emphasize his determination.

Despite Caulifla's dismay, that at least explained why he was attacking Goku, but she wasn't prepared for what he said next.

"And I achieved that goal back in the universe I was created, on a planet similar to this. The one you designate as..." His eyes narrowed even further until they were just slits, before uttering the words that tore her soul in two.

"Universe 6."

* * *

 **So first off, hopefully this chapter turned out ok for you guys. I added quite a bit of action to the fight and reworked Caulifla's angle. I had her crying a lot more originally, but to me I could see her being... well yeah scared for one, and angry at both Goku for sending her away and also just at bad guys like this in general, because they cause Goku grief, which she's made it her business to cause her grief too. I did keep it to show her fighting back the urge to break down because she's experiencing that trauma with Frieza all over again. But I kinda had it build up as the chapter went.**

 **As for the big bad guy... yep he's a Universe 6 parallel of Cell, even with Dr. Kogga (Cog) a parallel of D. Gero (Gear) xP Cell's a bug, and Stem's a plant. Get it? Stem cell? Clever right? Right!?**

 **And now it's not explained in the story, but on top of Goku's arm going limp from severed nerves and ligaments, Stem is similar to Cell. When he stabbed Goku, he siphoned energy too. So on top of being exhausted from sparring, that sneak attack left him kinda handicapped since he can't go beyond Super Saiyan God (or use it to its fullest) and Stem is roughly Frieza's strength. Though he is about as exhausted as Goku, with both having poured most of their energy into those final attacks.**

 **Anyway, with this encounter a parallel of the moment with Frieza, things will come full circle in the next chapter.**


	18. Chapter 18

**Well that last chapter had a bit of a bombshell to drop. I'm sure Caulifla won't feel responsible or guilt or regret of any kind now!**

 **And xD BeyondTheVeilOfShadows, that would be adorable! Well, all I'm gonna say is that I don't have any babies FEATURED in the fic, buuuuut...**

* * *

Caulifla felt a cold chill run through her entire body as she inhaled a harsh breath. Stem came from _her_ universe? A grim thought struck through her which made her stomach churn. Her arms fell to her sides as she stared at them, feeling her heart sink. She swore to be there to protect Goku, but what if _she_ was the reason why he- _'I...'_

Goku's eyes had widened with a sound as he was taken aback from what he'd just heard. He shifted his eyes to steal a glance at Caulifla before returning his gaze to Stem, "What!? You're from Universe 6?" His head shook in disbelief before, "Then what are you doing _here_!?"

 _'I shouldn't...'_ That stinging sensation had come back to torment the edges of Caulifla's eyes. She could feel her arms turning numb as she fought not to utter the thought that was squeezing her heart like a vice-grip. All she wanted more than anything now was to be with Goku, but...

"Oh, well _that's_ an interesting one." Stem's voice rose with twisted mirth as he raised his hands slightly, playing with little orbs of energy at his root-like fingertips, "I learned about the other universes after hearing about that 'Tournament of Power', and as you can agree, if I can't be the strongest out of _all_ the universes..." He paused to tilt his head down and harden his gaze, "I may as well not be the strongest of _any_."

As he continued, he had begun drifting microscopically closer towards Goku, making sure to keep the Saiyans' attention on his story, "Reverting myself to a small seed, I hitched a ride on our universe's Angel to see the tournament for myself." At this, his eyes again narrowed into slits towards Goku.

"To find the strongest fighter of them all."

With another wave of pain, Goku tightened his grip on his shoulder with a grunt, his brow furrowing at the realization, "So you-" Stem cut him off to finish while holding his arms out, "That's right. I almost got what I wanted when that golden nutcase nearly finished you off." The wooden monster nearly growled out in annoyance, "... until _someone_ interfered." Despite herself, Caulifla couldn't help but felt a small wave of satisfaction at the memory of Frieza's furiously panicked expression as he vanished from the arena, likely cursing her for ultimately stopping him.

That feeling was erased when she felt the knife in her heart twist as Stem cackled wildly, "But as luck would have it, they turned out to be a bigger help than I thought! Because thanks to them, I was able to hitch a ride over here... to **YOU**!"

 _'I shouldn't have come!'_ That knife tore though Caulifla's heart as Stem shot forward while firing his energy orbs at Goku. The Saiyan brought his arm up to stop them the best he could, managing to catch each intercepting sphere and redirect them around him with graceful swipes... only for one of the blasts to explode in front of him and cause him to flinch.

It all happened in a flash.

Caulifla could feel the tears spilling from her eyes before releasing a sharp gasp as Stem closed the distance. Goku lifted his remaining arm to block, only for the root-like fingers of Stem's left hand to coil around his wrist to jerk his arm violently to the side, while Stem extended a tendril from his other hand to impale Goku's remaining shoulder. The Saiyan's eyes shot wide as he cried out in pain, hearing Caulifla scream his name at the top of her lungs before Stem spun around and kicked him in the chest, sending the shaking Saiyan flying down to the ground with a thunderous crash.

" **NO!** " The trembling Saiyan girl shot down to the ground and began to violently pound her fists against the barrier in a frantic yet futile attempt to break through as she watched - through furious glistening eyes - the scene beginning to play out just like with Frieza. This was all her fault! All she wanted now was to be with Goku, to protect him, and instead...

She only caused him pain!

The male Saiyan was lying all but still on the ground, aside from the violent shivers that wracked his body from the pain in his shoulders. Struggle as he might, he couldn't move his arms an inch. Having reverted back to his normal form, he could only watch through gritted teeth and a squinted eye as the creature landed while slamming a foot on his stomach, making Goku choke out a cry while coughing up a few droplets of blood onto his chest.

Caulifla's movements became more frantic as she squinted her eyes shut, practically flailing her arms into the barrier while screaming at the top of her lungs, " **NO! STOP IT!"** She was reliving that nightmare all over again, one she couldn't simply wake up from and tell herself it was all ok. All of her fears and her pain spilled down her cheeks as she began to plead desperately, **"STOP IT! STOP IT! STOP IT!"** Her hands banged furiously against the energy wall with every piercing scream.

She knew it was useless. She knew this monster wouldn't listen to her. All she wanted was to tear through this wall and then Stem's head. Even with being so close, and even with all of her power, she felt so... helpless. All she could do was watch in horror as Goku's eyes shot wide, opening his mouth in a silent cry of pain when another tendril shot through his chest.

But it may as well have pierced hers.

"This isn't happening..." Feeling her legs give out under her, Caulifla whispered shakily and fell to her knees against the horrible dimensional barrier, watching through tear-blurred eyes as her entire world fell apart in front of her. "Th-this can't... You can't..." Her body was wracked with powerful sobs as her hands dropped to grip her knees, tears shimmering in the air as she shook her head violently, "YOU CAN'T DIE!"

Stem merely turned to her and began to chuckle with maliciously at her cries, feeling a sick sense of pleasure from the pain in her voice, "Aw, come on! You should feel proud! The force behind your punches was _terrifying._ That's why I had to keep you out." He let out an exhausted sigh, before darkly narrowing his eyes at her.

"You're not gonna take this from me."

Caulifla felt something suddenly snap inside her.

Upon hearing those words, she froze, her irises vibrating in terror as Stem's face and his voice suddenly morphed into Frieza's. They were back at the tournament, and she watched the gold tyrant again turn to shove that horrible ball of death straight into Goku's chest.

 _'No...'_

Stem had turned his attention from her and back to the man she loved and swore to protect, a sinister bloodthirsty grin forming on his twisted face as he, in a similar fashion, raised a sharpened root-like finger towards Goku.

 _"Oh how I've_ _ **waited**_ _for this moment for so long!"_

"No." Caulifla's voice came just above a whisper, placing her trembling hands against the dimensional barrier, feeling its energy burning against her bruised fingers. Not again. Not this time. Despite her thoughts and fears continuously trying to taunt her for once again being too weak, she began to feel an overwhelming power build up inside her. A power filled with anger, hatred, and above all else...

 _"This power... comes from... a pure-blooded Saiyan's... deepest... most primal... urges and..._ _ **DESIRES**_ _!"_

A _desire_ to protect the ones she loved.

Stem narrowed his eyes as he prepared to strike, "Don't worry, Goku. When it's over, you'll become a part of something _much_ greater."

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

It was as if a giant floodgate had opened, with Caulifla pouring her entire soul into her scream as a monstrous power erupted from her, shaking the ground with massive fissures spreading out from beneath her and catching Stem's attention immediately when his barrier shattered around him, which was followed by an intense wave of bone-crushing force rushing in and shaking every cell in his body. The power felt _savage,_ filled with a primal animalistic desire to kill that struck a sense of terror in him.

Stem immediately turned towards the source of the voice, "What th-URK!" But was forced to choke on his words when he felt a powerful kick nearly pierce through his gut. Looking down with wide bloodshot eyes, he was met with a pair of _furious_ amber eyes full of tears and murder. _'When did she..!?'_ He drew a shaky choked breath before Caulifla immediately twisted herself to swing her leg into the side of his head and send him flying, before she landed in a protective catlike crouch over Goku's still form.

Her lips were curled back, growling through her sharpened teeth with every heavy breath while glaring daggers at Stem as he slowly recovered, "Stay. **_Away_**. From. Him!" She practically snarled every word as powerful arcs of electricity lashed out from her body to scorch the ground - some whipping past Stem and causing him to flinch - making it clear that he was in **no** way going to disobey her.

A very shaken Stem had a tear in his eye while the other one squinted in pain, wheezing as he struggled to regain his breath. He didn't have much stamina left, after using most of it on his attack as well as blocking the blast that Goku had also wasted most of his energy to produce. His blurred vision slowly came into focus as he gazed at the monstrous source of power in front of him.

He immediately froze at what he saw.

Fine red fur had grown to replace the skin of her arms and her hunched back, and she now sported a red fur-covered tail that whipped around dangerously behind her like a pissed cat. In place of the long flowing gold hair Caulifla had had before, was now a mane of black spikes that flowed wildly over her hunched shoulders. An animal-like look that was only accentuated by the murderous stare she was giving him with a pair of glistening _feral_ amber eyes.

This wasn't supposed to happen! She wasn't supposed to be this strong! This energy was just like Goku's each time he'd felt it! It wasn't just the energy, though. It was the ferocious ire behind it. It was even more intense than when Goku had attacked him!

"How!?" Stem nearly shrieked as he took a step back. The realization that this was far more than he could handle at the moment put him into a state of shock, "How did you get this str-AHHH!" Caulifla was in **no** mood to play games, and had released a powerful wave of energy from her body with an angry growl that cut the terrified monster off and sent him flying back.

She lowered her head and narrowed her eyes while curling back her lips in a silent snarl before vanishing in a blur, leaving a trail of shimmering tears to fall over Goku where she'd stood.

A dangerous voice hissed out beneath Stem a split second later as he flew, "Because you hurt the **wrong** GIRL!" Before he was sent flying as Caulifla delivered a spine-cracking kick to his back that shook the ground and redirected him into the air, before kicking off the ground to chase after him, creating a small crater below her from the force.

Stem was immediately met with a firm gut-wrenching force as Caulifla shot past him and slammed her elbow into his stomach, making his face twist with a silent scream. The two seemed frozen in place as her wild amber eyes glared at him, before she flipped forward with a growl and delivered a powerful axe-kick into his already-sore gut. But before the force could send him flying back down, Stem felt his neck practically snap when her tail whipped out during her flip to constrict his throat and stop his momentum with a violent jerk.

Killing him wasn't enough. For what he did to her heart, she wanted to inflict as much pain as possible!

Red orbs of energy began to spin in Caulifla's palms as she continued to flip with Stem in her hold. Feeling another stab of pain in her chest, she violently twisted her body to whip the stunned monster upward while at the same time - with a primal agonized scream - bringing her hands together to release her energy in a single searing blast against his back from underneath.

Stem felt the whiplash when the blast sent him soaring upward as he gasped for air, his entire body vibrating from the force as her crimson energy burned through his spine. His eyes widened in pain as the energy destabilized and exploded against him, sending fire through his entire being while at the same time feeling Caulifla charge into him from below to lash energy-sharpened nails against his spine with an enraged hiss, before lashing out again, and again.

And again and again and again.

Memories of hugging Goku, nuzzling comfortably against his chest, feeling his hands along her spine, every kiss she'd ever placed on him and the ones he returned... all flashed through Caulifla's mind, causing more tears to form while fueling every increasingly violent attack as she literally tore into Stem with a relentless flurry of clawed strikes and increasingly furious roars, as if she were trying to tear at the pain those memories now seemed to be inflicting on her own heart.

 _'Goku...'_ Caulifla's voice shook as a soft whisper in her mind, unlike the hoarse anger that vibrated through her throat with every attack. It wouldn't fix what Stem had done. No matter how much damage she inflicted on the detestable abomination in front of her, all she could feel was her own anguish growing. Every growl that painfully tore from her throat with each vicious strike only served to mask the equally powerful sobs that escaped her.

The thought of never being able to do anything with Goku again...

With a sudden burst of strength, Caulifla tore through Stem completely, causing him to scream out in pain as he was sliced in half, "This... can't be happening!" He shrieked at the top of his lungs, his irises having shrunken to the size of small dots as he watched the pissed-off girl push herself between his two halves, holding each one at the end of her outstretched hands while giving him a look full of ice. Her mind chuckled darkly at the irony of his words.

" ** _Hurts_** , doesn't it!?" She roared with intense emotion dripping from that word, her voice sounding hoarse as she fought back another sob, "Good!" Both Frieza's and Stem's words came to the forefront of her mind as she summoned all of her anger, agony, and power from her chest and into an intense crimson energy in her hands, searing Stem's wood-like flesh her grip.

A grip that Stem felt painfully tighten on his two halves as Caulifla growled before bringing her arms back to violently toss him higher into the air above her.

"BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT GONNA TAKE **HIM** AWAY FROM ME!"

Bringing her hands together above her, the entire planet shook beneath Caulifla as she released all of her energy and her sorrow with a bloodcurdling roar. Like the first time she'd turned Super Saiyan, an even _more_ enormous column of crimson hot energy erupted from her palms and shot upward to completely engulf both of Stem's flailing halves, setting every one of his atoms on fire as her blast began to tear him apart.

From an orbital view, a massive expanse of clouds could be seen glowing with a faint red light, before beginning to swirl as if to form a hurricane. Suddenly, an enormous red beam tore through the central vortex and caused those nearby clouds to immediately vaporize to form an even wider swirling vortex around the focused energy as it shot out like a planetary death laser, while parts of the ocean nearby began to boil from the waves of energy radiating through the mesosphere.

Back under the clouds, Stem's own cries of pain paled in comparison to the intensity in Caulifla's voice. The grief-stricken Saiyan's furious roar turned into a strained growl as she gritted her teeth and began to tremble in an effort to maintain her blast.

As her eyes squinted shut, the memory of waking up in Goku's arms for the first time appeared. It had felt so comforting, so warm...

Caulifla opened her amber eyes as she felt a sudden fire flowing through her veins, releasing an even more deafening scream as her beam doubled in size, sending out a powerful shockwave that shook the mountain nearby and caused a large chunk of it to crumble and form a massive landslide. When the concentrated energy reached Stem, all he felt was a heat so intense that it felt cold as it penetrated his entire being, vaporizing the monster that had caused Caulifla so much pain as her massive beam continued on into outer space.

After the ear-splitting ring of the energy fading, the sounds of Caulifla's heavy labored breaths could be heard as she reverted back to normal. Despite her exhaustion as her adrenaline wore off, a sudden pang in her chest jolted her into action with a sharp gasp.

She was on the ground in an instant, kicking up a wild trail of dust as she slid to a stop over Goku with her hands on his chest. Her heart was pounding with glistening eyes as she forced her remaining energy into her hands, her body shaking as she desperately tried to heal him.

 _"I appreciate everything you've done, Goku. Especially everything you've done for me. Thank you."_

 _"Ehehehe. Thanks, Cauli. That... means a lot to me."_

"Don't die..." Caulifla whispered shakily through gritted teeth as she stared into Goku's pale features.

 _"Of course I haven't forgotten!  
I was actually hoping I'd get to see you again."_

"Don't die." She repeated louder when he remained still, squinting her eyes as a stream of hot tears began to flow down her cheeks.

She couldn't feel his heartbeat.

 _"Cauli, do you remember when you asked if I had anything on my mind besides training?_  
 _I haven't stopped thinking about you since I first saw you."_

"Don't die. Don't die! Don't die! Don't die!" Caulifla began shout as she desperately pleaded and shook his still form, praying that her voice would bring him back. This couldn't be real. This was all just a sick joke. She was just cuddling him this morning without a care in the world!

She suddenly froze. Raising a trembling tentative hand to her neck, her fingers traced the mark he'd lovingly left last night. A night she'd never again... Immediately a violent stab of pain tore though her heart before she collapsed onto his chest and tightly fisted his shirt, " _PLEASE_! DON'T DIE! DON'T LEAVE ME! _PLEASE_!"

 _"You promise... right?"_

 _"Promise. I'll take good care of you."_

"... _**IDIOT**_!" Caulifla howled mournfully at the top of her lungs as she began to sob violently against Goku's chest, her body shaking as memory after painful memory continued to bombard her.

 _"That's just the kind of man he is! His entire life is nothing but sacrifice, constantly giving up what he wants just so everyone else can go about their day..._  
 _You don't have to like that he's absent so much... but you don't appreciate it at all!_  
 _But I do. I would travel to the ends of the universe to fight by his side so he doesn't have to make those sacrifices. Or at least... not alone."_

Squinting her eyes shut with a fresh wave of tears, Caulifla growled furiously through her gritted teeth as an unbearably sharp stab of pain pierced her heart at that last memory, before clenching her jaw even tighter and releasing a bloodcurdling scream through her teeth while she cried, pouring out all of her pain as well as every other feeling inside her and onto the man she loved in her grip.

The man whose voice she'd never hear again, whose warm touch she'd never feel again, whose grinning face she'd never see again, whose smiling lips she'd never taste again, whose scent she'd never smell again.

And whose affection she'd never experience again.

It was as if all the life had drained from her as she poured herself out. Her veins felt cold. Her mind felt numb. Her sobs had died down as she began to lose her will and her strength. Still she kept her grip on Goku's shirt as her tears continued to fall, sniffling against his chest, "I'm sorry, Goku..." Her trembling voice broke with another weak sob, her own words stinging her heart, "I should never have come..."

In the short span of a few days, Goku had become everything to her. A source of power, of comfort, of security... and love. She wanted nothing more than to feel his arms around her again, to feel that warmth and comfort waking her from her nightmare to tell her everything was ok.

Instead... she felt broken. Her vision went dark as she closed her eyes and nuzzled against his chest one last time, softly breathing his bittersweet scent, ready to lie with him until she died.

She didn't care anymore.

* * *

 **I'm so sorry for ending things on a low note :( Well, I'm not, since I did it on purpose, but you know what I mean. This fight was meant to be a parallel of the first one with Frieza, which instilled this fear in her in the first place. Like last time, she was put in a position where she was powerless to directly interfere, and like last time, the experience drew enormous power from Caulifla and pushed her to the next level. This time she was able to use her power to break through and directly stop it before it was too late... or was she?**

 **Did I make it too sad? Not sad enough? Just right? I guess it resonates with people differently, and depending on my mood this can have little effect or make me tear up as I read it. Hopefully those feelings translated well. But always, if anyone can think of a better way to phrase something or construct the words, I'd definitely take them into consideration and adjust things.**

 **But for now, onto the next chapter... or is this the end?**


	19. Chapter 19 - FINAL

**So this is it. The LAST chapter. I hope this makes up for me trying to be a dick in the last one by ending it on such a sad note. To be FAIR, I had asked a kind and loving family member of mine and they'd also said it was better to end that chapter on a low. You can still blame me, but I'm gonna blame them lol.  
**

 **Now about the SSB being 70% Beerus thing being retconned. I can't recall it atm, but it's still not SUPER important to the story anyway. In fact, up until just before I uploaded chapter 17, I had Goku using Saiyan God instead of Super Saiyan God (because I'd had it that his ki was really messed with by that stab), but changed a few words at the last minute to make him Blue xD So not a huge difference to the story.**

 **Anyway, as always, enjoy!**

* * *

 _It was as if all the life had drained from her. Her veins felt cold. Her mind felt numb. Her sobs had died down as she began to lose her will and her strength. Still she kept her grip on Goku's shirt as her tears continued to fall, sniffling against his chest, "I'm sorry, Goku..." Her trembling voice broke with another weak sob, her own words stinging her heart, "I should never have come..."_

 _In the short span of a few days, Goku had become everything to her. A source of power, of comfort, security, and... love. She wanted nothing more than to feel his arms around her again, to feel that warmth and comfort. Instead... she now felt completely broken. Her vision went dark as she closed her eyes and nuzzled against his chest one last time, softly breathing his bittersweetly soothing scent, ready to lie with him until she died._

 _Live or die, she didn't care anymore._

After a minute, Caulifla's senses had all but vanished as she was on the verge of drifting off into a slumber that escaped the pain, the reality, the _nightmare_ she was in right now.

That is, until she felt a slight pressure on her back.

Pressure that felt like... a hand?

That wonderfully familiar sensation she'd felt so many times before returned to wash over her like a torrent of soothing warm water, which instead of relax, only caused her to tense up, _'Don't fuck with me!'_ Her mind cried with a shudder to restrain a sob as she felt the gods taunting her.

She felt the pressure again, gently shaking her this time, trying to keep her from falling asleep and escaping the hole she felt inside her. A hole that could never be filled, not without-

"Cauli..." That voice... That wonderful voice! The trembling Saiyan girl felt a surge of electricity rush in to fill that hole in her chest when she heard the familiar, weak, but _living_ voice of the man beneath her. The man who had become the source of her pain as well as happiness.

Her eyes immediately shot open. Tingling pinpricks of warmth and feeling returned to her body as she stared wide-eyed into Goku's soft features. He held a tired but warm smile that hid the pain he was in as he began to run a comforting (albeit shaky) hand along her back, "Don't say that... I'd be worse off if... you _hadn't_ come..." His voice was strained, but soothing to her ears as she rose and fell on his chest with every breath of every word, "I... felt your energy before..." His smile grew ever-so-slightly as he released a small breath that was meant to be a laugh, "I knew you could do it..."

Goku's smile became a small frown when he saw Caulifla's glistening eyes squint, and the pride he felt was replaced with sudden pain when Caulifla abruptly threw her arms around his neck, releasing relieved whimpers and sobs while ignoring his cries of pain as she planted tear-filled kisses all over his face, feeling her heart jump in her chest with each one.

Even his pain-filled voice right now made her body shiver pleasantly. _Anything_ to hear his voice. She'd also decided that after the pain he put her through, he could deal with a bit of soreness while she helped herself.

She held her chest to his so she could feel his heart beat against hers, letting out another small sob as it overwhelmed her. Goku had responded by placing his hands on the small of her back while he enjoyed the (albeit somewhat painful) contact that he'd missed from her.

He was about to speak after she began to calm down, but instead flinched when her body jerked on top of him as she shouted lividly into his ear, "I don't care _how_ much you love me!" Despite the anger in her tone, he felt his heart jump before she lifted herself to cup his face in her hands and glare with furious tears into his own widened eyes, "Don't you ever... **EVER** do that to me again!" She huffed heatedly against his lips while she continued to hold his face in her hands, as if waiting for him to agree before she'd think of letting him go.

Though she'd already made the decision to _never_ let him go again.

"Cauli-" He wasn't given the chance to answer before she cut him off with a trembling lip, "If you do..." She paused, and he felt his heart ache when she choked back a small sob while sniffling as more tears formed in her eyes, "No force in any universe will be able to save you from me after I save you." She sniffled again, and despite herself, a small smile on her features and she shook with a weak laugh as she rode on the euphoria of being in his warm embrace again.

Goku moved to wrap his arms more securely around her, beginning to chuckle back at how adorable she appeared to him, but her hands found his shoulders and she immediately shook him as her tear-filled glare returned, "Promise me!"

She may have been relieved. She may have been ecstatic. But after the shit he just pulled, she was _not_ gonna take no for an answer.

Goku merely stared at the angel glaring angrily in his arms, feeling like the most fortunate man on the planet, no- the universe. In this moment, he felt like he truly didn't deserve someone like her. He felt a wonderful grip squeeze his heart, which forced a soft smile on his face as he tilted his head to place a small kiss on the tip of her nose, before pulling away with a small nod, "Promise." When he saw her beautiful relieved smile reappear, he felt his own grow into a wider grin, "It hurts enough to have one hole in my chest." She blinked before he gave her waist a gentle squeeze, softly shaking his head as he continued, "I don't wanna make you cry and feel another."

Despite her anger, Caulifla couldn't help the small smile that forced itself onto her lips from his cheesy joke, giggling softly through her nose before leaning in to catch his lips in a light, longer-lasting kiss of her own; One he returned immediately.

As she pulled away, she lifted a hand to gingerly caress his cheek, exhaling in a playfully fake exasperated sigh, "You really are cheesy." His grin merely widened at her light tease as she shifted to lower her head onto his chest. There was a slight pause as she let the sound of his heartbeat relax her, before she inhaled to breathe in his scent.

"That's why I love you."

Caulifla listened to Goku's heart skip against her ear as she continued to softly nuzzle his sore chest so not to hurt him, before purring softly into the blue undershirt of his gi when she felt his fingers begin tracing her spine the way she loved.

God she missed this. In the short time she thought she'd lost it, she had missed it so bad.

Goku had closed his own eyes, allowing himself to rest with her comforting weight on top of him. After a few seconds, his lips curved into another semi-goofy smile while releasing a small chuckle which rocked the girl on top of him, before she felt his chest vibrate soothingly against her face as he spoke, "Maybe I'm cheesy _because_ I love you."

She merely sighed against his chest as she playfully rolled her closed eyes with a wider grin and gripped his shirt tighter. She knew they'd have to get up and head back soon, but she wanted to enjoy every moment like this with Goku while it lasted.

After a few minutes, Caulifla was roused from her state of near slumber when she felt Goku's chest vibrate against her again. "Hey, Cauli?"

His question was merely met with a "Hm?" that came out as a soft relaxed sigh.

Another few seconds of silence passed before his chest vibrated again.

"Did you bring the Senzu Beans?"

* * *

A few days had passed since the incident with Stem, giving Goku plenty of time to recover, and just as much time to show Caulifla how much he _appreciated_ her. An _appreciation_ she thoroughly returned, causing them to fight over which one _appreciated_ the other more, leading to intense contests of _appreciation_ that were always left undecided and lead to even more contests.

And if you were wondering... yes, it means sex.

But when they _weren't_ busy showing each other the different ways they could bend their body, they would... show each other the different ways they could... bend their body...

Ok, _that_ one was referring to training, which - to the two Saiyans - may as well be synonymous with sex.

The two Super Saiyans blitzed around the mountain landscape, which unfortunately hadn't been given any chance to recover as they scarred the ground with searing hot beams of energy and powerful shockwaves each time their bodies would collide.

The two were currently caught in an intense beam struggle, screaming as power filled their hands and their lungs to feed their clashing energy while their long golden Super Saiyan 3 hair flowed gracefully behind them from the force.

Not to be overtaken, Goku let out an even more intense shout as his voice grew deeper and more... _primal_ , to match his rising power. The sound of his voice and his static energy washing over her caused Caulifla to falter as a shiver of pleasure ran down her spine, allowing Goku to overtake her beam with a sudden surge of power as his body finished morphing into the form of True Super Saiyan.

The dazed girl had barely enough time to react as she cut off the flow of energy from her hands and arched her body over the fierce beam as it soared under her, just an inch from her back, before it faded off into the horizon.

"Skipping the foreplay already, huh?" The Saiyan girl shot out at Goku with a challenging smirk before she dropped to the ground, tensing her body with a guttural shout as she tapped into her new source of power.

"What can I say? You excite me too much." Goku smirked before dropping to the ground and beginning to charge at her, letting out a fierce growl of excitement as he felt her power rising to match his.

Caulifla's own voice began to grow more feral along with her hair. A fine red fur grew over her arms, back, and stomach, while a tail slowly sprouted from the base of her spine. Onyx eyes stared intensely into amber ones as Goku dashed toward her, the combination of their power splitting the ground around them.

As she finished her transformation, Caulifla closed her eyes, opening them to reveal an equal pair of intense amber staring back at Goku as he closed in.

The new True Super Saiyan girl brought her arms up with a confident smirk to brace herself for Goku's attack as dust kicked around them from his speed.

An attack that never came.

As the dust settled, Caulifla's blinked in confusion when she saw Goku just standing in front of her, staring down at her chest with a blush on his face.

"Hm?" She looked down and immediately felt heat rising to her own cheeks. Below were a pair of round and very exposed breasts, each adorned with a rosy pink nipple for all (or in this case, Goku) to see, _'Wh-what happened to my shirt!?'_ She then widened her eyes and mentally slapped herself when she realized that Goku's shirt had always disappeared when he used this form too, _'How didn't I noticed it the first time I used it!?'_

Caulifla was broken from her thoughts with a shiver when she felt Goku's hands cup her breasts, before moaning as he began scratching against her nipples with his thumbs, "Did I mention how _proud_ I am that you achieved this form?" His voice had grown dark with a playful smirk as he watched her begin to squirm under his touch.

She bit her lip to stifle another moan while placing her hands on his arms as he continued, feeling her heart jump with every jolt his nails sent down her spine, _'You horny little-'_ Not like she minded. In fact she returned the smirk as she closed the distance to him, sliding her hands up his arms over his shoulders while leaving his hands to do their wonderful work.

"Yeah?" She asked with a sultry voice, "And if you keep doing what you're doing..." Keeping enough distance to allow his hands to remain on her breasts, she leaned into him while hooking a leg around his hip and coiling her tail around his, draping her arms over his shoulders while whispering seductively into his ear, "You're gonna regret it."

Caulifla felt him shiver against her as her soft breath tickled his ear, his thumbs making her shudder as they continued to scratch against her nipples in defiance to her warning, before he whispered back huskily, "Oh really?" Goku's tail twitched around hers as he pulled back just enough to look into her eyes, his own eyes flashing with a lustfully challenging stare as he whispered back against her lips.

"Then make me regret it."

That was _exactly_ what she wanted to hear. The last thing he felt was her lips forming a sly smile against his before she claimed them.

* * *

The evening sunset looked beautiful from the mountainside, a fact Goku was aware of as he sat over the edge of one of its many cliffs, with Caulifla sitting cross-legged in his lap. His hands were clasped with hers in her lap while she rested her back against his chest.

Caulifla let out a soft sigh as she tilted her head back and rested the side of her face against Goku's, her lips curving into a contented smile as she felt his heartbeat against her back, "So what are you gonna do about..?" She didn't wanna finish by mentioning her name.

Nor did she have to, as Goku already knew she was talking about Chi-Chi. He tilted his head to rest his chin on her shoulder, taking a deep breath as he shifted slightly to get more comfortable, "I'm gonna have a talk with the boys about it." He then paused as he considered his words, before correcting himself with a small chortle, "With Goten, I mean. I'm pretty sure Gohan already understands."

He then felt Caulifla shift nervously in his lap as she began to fidget with his hands in hers. He was about to ask her if everything was ok until her soft voice broke the silence, "Hey... Goku?"

Her voice sounded a bit uneasy, "Yeah, Cauli?" Goku gave her hands a comforting squeeze in response. It seemed to help when he felt her finally settle down in his lap, her heart beating rapidly in her chest. After another short silence, he felt her wavering breath against his ear.

"I'm..." She took another deep breath to calm her pounding heart, before gently returning a comforting squeeze to Goku's own hand, "I'm pregnant."

She nearly gasped when she felt his heart jump against her back, increasing its own pace as another silence filled the air.

Caulifla bit her lip as she felt her anxiety building, only for it to ebb away as she felt Goku tighten his arms around her and smile softly against her cheek, with one of his hands leaving hers to come to a rest over her (for now) flat stomach and trace her toned muscles.

"Our baby is gonna be strong as hell."

Her lips formed a wide smile of their own as she felt a few tears of both relief and joy blur her eyes, before laughing softly and tilting her head to face him, "So you mean it's gonna have my genes?" She teased softly.

Rather than teasing her back, he simply tilted his own head to silence her with a kiss.

Though really, she wouldn't mind if it took after its idiot father. It would be something else to remind her of him.

Just like the mark that remained on her neck. The mark that Goku would reinstate every time he showed his _appreciation_ for her.

The mark she'd never take off if she could.

Having entertained the thought of them using the Dragon to wish for eternal youth, it was a mark that could live to see the end of time.

* * *

How wonderful reality could be, to take two passionate flames and bring them together to form one intensely-burning light. A teacher with a student, and a student with a teacher.

A powerful love blossomed, all thanks to a Saiyan's wish.

* * *

 **And that's the end! Yeah, Goku wasn't dead, but his heartbeat was faint enough that she couldn't feel it, and he would've died. So Caulifla did manage to heal Goku enough to stop any further blood loss, but it took him a bit to recover from it to the point of being able to summon the strength to move or talk. Since she was allowing herself to drift off to escape the empty pain she was feeling, Caulifla hadn't noticed his heartbeat strengthening xP**

 **Did I make it cute enough? Did I make it sweet enough? Did it make up for how I ended things last chapter (if it was as sad as I tried to make it)? Funnily the whole reason I _originally_ brought Super Saiyan 4 into this was just so I could have that funny moment of Caulifla realizing that form loses its top xD And then I built that form into the theme of this, which hopefully brought it full circle.**

 **The last part of this story has meaning too. The first line is a paraphrase of Goku's thought from the first chapter, if you read the part where he was fighting against Jiren. The second line actually comes from the fact that this whole project was originally titled "A Saiyan's Wish" in my Word doc. I figured I'd incorporate it in some way.**

 **But anyway, that's the story! It ended, and it's a happy one x) She didn't become Blue yet, but that would naturally come later (in a story I neither have the energy nor ideas for to even begin by this point). Would her losing her top in SSJ4 make her stop using it? Definitely not around Goku, and the version of her in the canon kinda strikes me as someone who might not care as long as it means more power, but would opt for Blue when she obtains it.**

 ** _How_ would she get that god ki into her? Well, I could see her using it as an excuse to make Goku transform into Super Saiyan God while they were busy... _appreciating_ each other xD**

 **And IF someone did wanna continue their story, like with children and with Caulifla being shown obtaining god ki and mastering its forms, I'm totally fine with someone doing that. IF they keep the characters in character relative to this story, and don't do something like have them separate or kill one/both of them off, or do either temporarily and wind up not finishing the story. Nothing I'd want that would give readers who enjoy this story a bad taste in their mouth if they considered it a sequel. But as far as I go (and am capable of now), this is the happy end of my story.**

 **Thank you all for reading and your kind words, support, and enjoyment. I set out to make a Goku x Caulifla story that left me satisfied, and though I haven't gotten to read the whole thing from start to finish, I do have the entire story's experience burned into my memory since I had to pull it from within myself, and I feel satisfied. So, I hope you guys enjoyed! Even if a little bit. Considering I fully finished this in under 3 weeks, I'd be happy with even mild enjoyment lol.**


	20. Chapter 20 - EPILOGUE

**Ok so I was asked to write a bit of an epilogue with characters' reactions to the couple, and I quick did one! I definitely didn't have it in me to write the reaction of every character, because for me the interactions would probably all be about as long as this chapter, but I did decide to have fun with one character in particular x)**

 **While I don't plan on writing a sequel for this, at least not at the moment, I did start a forum for the purpose of roleplay for anyone who wants to continue the story or start their own story while interacting with others, called Dragon Ball Omniverse. I actually for a time was a big part of a Naruto RP with a character that had a story that spanned over many groups, which is where my writing experience comes from. It's possible no one will join the group here, but I thought it'd be fun regardless. I made the group since others have dibs on characters, and the Naruto RP groups I used to be part of would allow for anyone to be any character, because each thread had different people with its own universe/stories, so it allowed for multiple people to use a character. I gotta say it was a lot of fun, and it might give me ideas for a possible sequel. MAYBE.**

 **And if you recognize the first line in this chapter, you're a true TFS fan and know exactly which character I'm gonna fuck with hahaha.**

* * *

"Fetch my laptop, pig! I'm finally gonna buy myself that submarine I've always wanted!"

Little over a year had passed since the incident with Stem. It was not all too uncommon for Goku to seemingly drop off of the face of the earth for long expanses of time, at least not to men like Master Roshi, who had seen more action (sadly not the kind he'd prefer) in his life than most men combined.

The old hermit was currently enjoying a nice relaxing evening in his favorite, and only, pink cottage on the small island he called home. However, without any action to speak of for several months, he was beginning to grow bored and restless. The white-bearded master's sudden outburst had nearly scared poor Oolong out of his seat as he leaned his elbow on the table for support, giving Roshi a careful look.

"Alright, but you're not allowed to name it after your junk-" His suspicious squinted eyes flew open wide as he was cut off when Roshi practically threw his face into the startled pig's, "Bitch, I'm buying it! I'm namin' it!"

To Oolong's fortune, he didn't have to suffer the awkwardly tense moment for long when, just a second later, a familiar high-pitched whistle-like sound pierced both of their ears and turned their attention toward the door in unison.

It was Roshi who recovered from the shock first, his wide sunglasses-hidden eyes returning to normal with a twitch of his eyebrows, "That sounded a lot like-"

"Hey, Master Roshi! Long time no see!" The familiar voice of one Son Goku, followed by his even more familiar goofy chuckle, sounded through the small screened window of his new door. The orange clad Saiyan had heard of the previous door's tragic demise at the hands of one powerful - and very alluring - wild-haired Saiyan girl, and thought it best to announce his presence and spare this new door successor the potential pain of another beatdown.

Goku knew just how _persuasive_ those hands of hers could be...

A small rustling was heard behind the door before it began to slowly open, revealing the familiar old wizened face of the turtle master as he stepped out onto his small porch with Oolong in tow.

"Well look who finally decided to come back from the Tournament of Power, Mr. "I'll be with you guys in a jiffy"!" The old man scolded in a nonchalant manner as he was stepping out of the door, "You know, a while ago there was actually someone looking... for... you..?" Roshi slowly trailed off after he had fully emerged from his house to get a good look at Goku and the...

Baby? He was holding a baby?

A very spiky-haired baby girl, with one giant forward-curved spike just like Goku. Said Saiyan was currently standing with the sleeping baby girl tucked snugly in his arms as he stared back at Roshi's stunned expression with a wide-eyed curious innocence of his own, "Really? Someone was looking for me? Who was it?"

He was either oblivious to the fact that Roshi and Oolong were staring in slight shock at the small infant in his arms, or he was oblivious to the fact that he had one in his arms at all.

"Um, Goku..." Roshi started, trailing off for a second as if waiting for Goku to notice the infant-sized elephant on the island on his own, _'Geez! **Another** baby? That woman can't possibly afford to feed even more Saiyan mouths than she already has to!'_

The old master didn't pause for too long before he determined that the confused-looking Saiyan wasn't gonna pick up on his tone, and so continued, "You didn't happen to kidnap an _actual_ baby this time, did you? I thought I heard Chi-Chi say she was stopping after Goten?"

Goku's eyes widened while his mouth formed a small circle in realization, as if finally noticing that he was cradling a small baby when he tilted his head to look at the adorable slumbering angel in his arms, laughing nervously while using one arm to rub the back of his head, "Ehehehe... Yeah, about that..." The Saiyan took a long awkward pause as he considered his next words, a small blush forming on his face, "This is my daughter, Celerity..."

Roshi's eyebrows twitched in focus as he took note of Goku's uncharacteristic behavior, which caused him to shift his gaze to study the infant just a little bit more carefully, _'You know, now that I think of it, that spiky hair looks an awful lot like-'_

The old hermit's thoughts were cut off by a second whistle-like sound, startling both himself and Oolong as a mess of wild spiky hair suddenly appeared behind Goku, along with a pair of slender arms now draped over the Saiyan's shoulders and hooked loosely around his neck.

And to his even greater surprise, instead of startling Goku or immediately putting him on the defensive, the Saiyan male's nervous expression from before immediately melted into a warm affectionate smile as he turned to look back over his shoulder toward the familiar head of spikes behind him.

Whatever Roshi was about to say in response was stopped short by - to his even greater surprise - a very familiar feminine voice.

"I don't know how you do it, Goku! I couldn't find this place with Instant Transmission until you teleported here first and I sensed your energy!" Caulifla exclaimed with a giggle against the back of the Saiyan male's neck as she hugged the now-snickering man from behind.

A pleasant shiver ran down Goku's spine as he felt her place a tender playful kiss on the back of his neck, before he moved to gingerly rub his hand along her forearm as it remained hooked around his neck, "Don't sweat it, Cauli. I'm just familiar with their energy signature here, and the location." His smile widened slightly before he grabbed hold of her wrist to lift her hand just enough to place an equally tender kiss on her palm, "You'll get it eventually, sweetheart."

Even after all these months, hearing Goku call her that still made Caulifla's heart flutter. Having mastered the Kaioken (the special technique Goku was going to show her before Stem's attack), she was well on her way to obtaining Saiyan God, especially with all the times Goku had _very_ _lovingly_ "donated" small amounts of god ki into her during every "appreciation contest" that they'd had over the months.

Whether it was actually working or not, she wouldn't give up _those_ particular "training" sessions for the world, because, either way, they made her see _heaven_.

However, after what had happened with Stem, Caulifla had made it a point to have Goku teach her Instant Transmission so he couldn't pull anymore self-sacrificing heroic bullshit on her, and was currently focused on mastering it first. With her ability to sense energy not quite as trained as Goku's, she was having a hard time pinpointing locations to teleport to even on the same planet, let alone the galaxy or universe.

She was, however, _very_ good at pinpointing Goku's energy specifically, of which she'd made a staunch priority in mastering ASAP. She was able to instantly teleport to him from planets away without even a thought, which was a talent she abused _many_ times to have all kinds of fun with the Saiyan who, honestly, didn't mind one bit.

She had finally gotten her Goku-tracker, which she'd wanted ever since first arriving on Earth, and she was damn well gonna make _thorough_ use of it!

Their tender moment was interrupted by the previously confused Roshi - having by now begun to slowly put all the pieces together - with a sudden shriek as he pointed towards the girl behind Goku, "Eh!? It's you! You're still here!?" While his sunglasses hid his wide-eyed shock behind them, they didn't hide his eyebrows that had all but risen past his forehead, _'Actually, it's not all that surprising now. But don't tell me...'_

Next to Goku's suddenly startled features at the hermit's outburst, the equally surprised expression of Caulifla's face bobbed into view as she stood up on the balls of her feet to look over Goku's shoulder and at the gawking old man, before she flashed him a toothed grin.

"Hey, you old pervert! How've you be-" Caulifla had shifted to wave a hand at Roshi from over Goku's shoulder, before she was cut off when Celerity began to cry loudly in Goku's arms, having been woken up by the old man's outburst.

Goku had begun to coo softly at his daughter in an attempt to calm her back to sleep, while Caulifla's eye twitched in annoyance, _'That loud lecherous old...'_ Her thoughts trailed off with a mental growl, _'I know I promised not to kill him, but-'_ Her thought was abruptly cut off by another... more devious one that popped into her head as she eyed the still-stunned man. One that had formed an equally-evil (and equally-adorable, as Goku would call it) grin on her face.

She'd heard all about the hermit's shameless weakness from 18, who hadn't seemed all-too-surprised to find out about Goku and her, and much less about him and Chi-Chi. It was almost as if the android had been _waiting_ for those two to finally separate. Her exact words had been "So Goku _does_ have a brain, after all." followed by "Lucky him." after 18 had sized the Saiyan girl up, if that was any indication.

Now, as for the loud pervert who had _rudely_ woken up her little girl, she decided to have a bit of "fun" at the soon-to-be bloodless man's expense.

Said old man was watching the increasingly-apparent Saiyan couple now more attentively as Caulifla unhooked her arms from around Goku's neck, _'She didn't...'_

"Goku?" Caulifla's all-to-sweet voice rang out to cut Roshi off as she took a step out from behind the taller Saiyan male and turned toward him, while said Saiyan stopped his sweet murmurings to turn a curious look over his shoulder at the beautiful woman behind him, "Yeah, sweetheart?"

Roshi's heightened brow immediately twitched in a brilliant mix of both realization and stark confusion as Caulifla began to smile sweetly at Goku, _'What the hell happened over the past year!?'_

"You're hopeless." Caulifla giggled fondly at the orange-clad man next to her, "Here, lemme calm our daughter down."

If Roshi had been cracking before, that one finally shattered him. As Goku turned to hand the small wailing infant to her, Caulifla couldn't hide the grin on her face at the way both the hermit and Oolong's jaws nearly hit the floor.

"Eh!? What!?" Roshi immediately sputtered out, startling Goku after he'd handed Celerity over to Caulifla, who just continued to grin at the old man, "Did you just say she's _your_ daughter!? As in... the _both_ of you!?" The old man was nearly fuming, though for another reason, _'Goku! You lucky bastard! But-'_ "What the hell happened while you were gone!?"

Oolong had recovered as well, at least enough to pick his jaw off the ground in order to form words as he eyed the now-nervous Saiyan, "Did I hear that right?! Did you have another baby that's _not_ with Chi-Chi?!"

Said Saiyan was laughing nervously as he handed Celerity over to his mate behind him, having his eyes closed with a hand rubbing the back of his head and a blush even redder than his gi, "Ehehehe... It's a... It's kind of a long story!"

Caulifla found that he couldn't be more adorable right now.

This was gonna be _very_ fun.

"Yep. Long story short - Goku and I had a baby." The Saiyan girl's sweet smile turned into a sweeter grin at the twitching old man as she cradled the crying Celerity to her chest, making sure to tilt her head _just_ enough to "accidentally" show off the deep set of teeth marks that were lovingly replanted on the pulse point of her neck just earlier this morning.

She couldn't tell which was more priceless - the adorably-increasing blush on her mate's face, or the small tinge that appeared on the faces of the other two at the implications that mark meant to them.

 _'That girl really **was** after Goku. The lucky bastard. But to think that she actually got a baby out of him...' _He hadn't been too surprised at the implication that he was no longer with Chi-Chi, but he assumed Goku would be too clueless to notice even _this_ alluring woman's charms and interest in him.

She seemed pretty sweet though, and very... The old wizened master's nose twitched as he fought to strengthen his capillaries against the onslaught of mental images of her that that intimate mark on her neck had _aroused_.

But as good as he was at blocking mental images, there was nothing that would save him from what she was about to do.

Caulifla continued to smile sweetly yet... with an unsettling hint of wickedness as she rocked her upset infant in her arms, "And you went and upset her with your loud screeching, so..." Trailing off, the Saiyan girl took a deep breath before releasing a loud ear-shattering scream that began to shake the entire island, exerting an enormous amount of power with a weight that nearly flattened the two stumbling island residents as they panicked and fought for their footing.

The waves began to grow more violent, lapping at the two Saiyans' feet from where they stood. Goku had taken a small step back with a small surprised gasp at her sudden outburst, watching in confusion as her dark spiky hair began to grow more wild, "Cauli, what are you doing!?" Was she really going to-

"Just having a bit of fun." Caulifla managed to growl out through gritted teeth with a mischievous wink as she forcefully brought her energy out to the surface, forcing fine red fur to grow along her arms, back, and stomach, while a tail sprouted from the base of her spine. Electricity began arcing around her body, though her powerful outburst didn't seem to affect the baby all too much.

She'd be calm in a minute anyway.

Oolong, however, wasn't calm in the slightest, "Are you trying to sink the whole island!?" Master Roshi had merely fallen on his ass while Caulifla became bathed in light next to Goku, who wore a look of shock - not out of confusion, but rather fully aware of what she was doing, _'Doesn't she realize that she..'_

Caulifla's intense black orbs were completely hidden behind the bright light that finished her transformation, fading to reveal a pair of captivating amber eyes with pronounced dark pupils. Powerful arcs of electricity now crackled and hissed around her protectively, as if to guard the wailing infant in her arms from any form of harm.

"Sorry about that." As the howling wind from her display died down, Caulifla's sweet voice sounded clearly through the air. It now held an intense vibration to it as she spoke, almost like the soft growl of a wolf, "I must've gotten a bit carried away." Her giggle came out as more of a guttural chuckle through her primal vocal chords as she watched the old hermit recover, her smirk darkening.

The white-bearded pervert merely let out a groan as he picked himself up, rubbing his backside as his eyes adjusted from the intense light from before, "A little carried away? If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were trying to-" Whatever Roshi was going to say was cut off when he lurched forward with a sudden sound, his hands immediately moving to clamp his nose shut while his and Oolong's faces began to look like a tomato.

 _'Sh-she's...'_

In front of them, Caulifla stood in her True Super Saiyan form - and aside from her wicked smirk -, completely nonchalant.

And completely topless.

Having used the form countless times together (both for sparring and for... _fun_ ), both Goku and her had gotten used to it, to the point where they almost thought nothing of it. However, while Caulifla had no problem with it right now herself - rather taking delight in watching the old man squirm -, Goku had been a bit more taken aback by the abrupt change, and the fact that they were... in front of... people...

Taking a small step toward her, a slightly flustered Goku leaned in and put a hand on Caulifla's velvet red shoulder to whisper into her ear, "Hey, Cauli flower... What exactly are you doing..?"

She felt her smirk turn into a smile at the way his breath tickled her ear, and she turned to look into her lightly-blushing man's adorable features, responding with a sweet nonchalant tone for them all to hear, "You know this is the only thing that calms her down." Goku had already begun to realize what she was up to, and she could tell by the way his eyes were widening as her smile turned into a grin and she shifted her gaze to watch the old man from the corner of her eye.

"And doing it while in my strongest form helps make her stronger too."

It was Oolong who first found his voice, watching out of the corner of his eye as the poor master struggled to keep his blood in his face, "Doing what makes her stronger how..?"

Roshi could feel his knees shaking with his wavering resistance as he began to sweat bullets in front of them, _'Perfectly round, rosy pink and stiff as erasers, and-'_ His eyes suddenly shot open at what he saw, before he immediately ran into the house screaming, with Oolong right behind him, "Where are the tissues!?"

"I think they're in the-"

His cries were suddenly silenced by the sound of a loud wet explosion inside.

Caulifla merely sighed and shook her head, chuckling to herself with a roll of her eyes, "Serves you right, pervert."

Her Saiyan mate next to her could do nothing but chuckle nervously at his old master's retreating form, feeling a bit less embarrassed and yet at the same time a lot more at what his mate had done, "I know you're right, but did you really have to go _that_ far on the poor guy?" Goku asked with almost pity for the man as he turned to his wife and now silent daughter, whose head was bobbing lightly as she softly suckled from her mom.

The True Super Saiyan girl responded by reaching out to pull Goku into a gentle one-armed hug around his waist while tilting her head to rest against his shoulder, a gesture he returned with an arm around her shoulders and his head resting on top of hers as they listened to the sound of Master Roshi and Oolong scrambling about to clean up the mess, which admittedly had earned a silent chortle from the two Saiyans.

"Hey, I didn't _kill_ him, just like I promised I wouldn't." Caulifla's smile had widened at the thought, her voice growing softer as she felt her daughter slowing down the more tired she became, "And she's calm now."

Goku felt a smile creep itself onto his own features while he gave his mate a gentle squeeze around her shoulders. She sighed as she felt his fingers playing with the soft fine fur on her upper arm; His smile turning into a playful smirk when he stole a glance down to watch his daughter feeding from her.

"I guess that means she takes after me then, huh?"

That joke earned a sudden fit of laughter from the girl in his arms as she removed her hand from around his waist to cover her mouth, her bouncing chest lightly forcing their daughter to disengage from her nipple. Caulifla immediately stopped her laughter and the two parents watched in silent wide-eyed horror as Celerity's face began to scrunch up, as if she were about to cry.

 _'Oh-' '-shit!'_

However, it was to their pleasant surprise when she didn't cry, and instead...

"ACHOO!"

Their daughter let out an adorable little sneeze, her eyes squinted from the sensation before settling back down in her mother's arms.

The two Saiyans merely stood frozen in place, still wearing a horrified expression with their gazes turned up to where Kame House... _used to_ be. A loud crash had been all they heard following Celerity's violent sneeze, before they'd looked up up to see nothing but the bottom floor, a few broken wall panels, and a _very_ startled Roshi and Oolong as they were busy cleaning up the...

"Oh my kami! It's _everywhere!_ "

* * *

 **Uh oh! _What_ was everywhere? Was it nose blood or...**

 **(Yeah, it was blood, I'm pretty sure...)**

 **This was a cute/funny idea I quick came up with. Well, funny because it's Roshi, and I always have fun writing stuff for him lol. Sort of a callback to the first episode of Z, now that I think of it. Goku arrives at Kame House with a surprise kid. So this chapter also sets up who their baby is - a girl named Celerity (play on celery) with mainly the same spiky hair as Caulifla, but with a larger spike in the front like Goku.**

 **And, she's pretty strong for only being a few months old, since her sneeze blew a house away xP**

 **So now if anyone wants to entertain a sequel for this (see me first though), now you have the identity of their child to work with ^_^**

 **Btw in case no one got it, the reason Caulifla laughed when Goku said Celerity takes after him was because he was referring to appetite. That was the joke lol.**

 **Also, speaking of kids. About Goten... Well by now, everything between Goku and Chi-Chi has long been settled. Word hasn't spread too far about it yet. Goten sees both his mom and his dad, since he still loves them both and they love him. So, at the moment, he's with Chi-Chi. It's not that he abandoned everyone or anything. Caulifla's gone on record to call Goku's youngest son a cutie (little bit of bias since he's the spitting image of his dad) and Goten liked how Celerity's hair kinda looks like his (even though it's only the one spike in the front while the rest is like Caulifla's xP)**

 **And to storybook thumb, Caulifla wouldn't have to put up with it, because she wouldn't be like Chi-Chi. Chi-Chi has gone on record to put Gohan's academics over the fate of the world. Caulifla, like Goku, is a fighter, and they'd raise their kid the same way they live their lives, to be a fighter like them. Unlike Chi-Chi, Caulifla would be supportive of Goku's behavior because not only does she share it, but she encourages it by wanting him to train/teach her to become stronger in the same way Goku trains himself.**

 **And Goku does work. His constant job has been training to protect the planet and people he cares about, protecting the planet and people he cares about, and being dead as a result of protecting the planet and people he cares about. Over and over. And hell, during the Saiyan arc, Chi-Chi jumped over Goku's battered paralyzed body so she could scoop up Gohan (who was merely unconscious) and walk off with him without even batting an eye at Goku, while Bulma actually either cried or nearly cried for him while asking if he was ok. So yeah, I think even Bulma would be better than Chi-Chi. She's been more involved in the warriors' struggles against the bad guys and has been more supportive of them too. Vegeta even more blatantly left Bulma to take care of Trunks on her own at first, and she still supports him despite him having a worse demeanor than Goku. Caulifla would be even more supportive because, like I said, she's just like Goku. She loves fighting. She'd support that, and join him in DOING it. She could actually help Goku and spare him from having to make any sacrifices.**

 **Chi-Chi gives me (and a whole slew of other people) the impression that she doesn't have a good grasp of proper priorities half the time. Goku's job is pretty much to make sure everyone else on the planet can continue to have a job and a family to come home to. He's got a pretty extensive job history in that department. It's a job that doesn't have a paycheck, but neither do stay-at-home parents/spouses get paychecks, so... do they not have jobs of their own too?  
**

 **And considering this is a Goku x Caulifla fic, of which Chi-Chi can't be a part of, I was actually pretty nice to her. It says a lot when other people agree that her actions seem believable based on her canon behavior, and it says a lot when TFS managed to make her a more likable character even though she's still portrayed as being overbearing with way out-of-whack priorities (because they did have her being more supportive of GOKU at least, and the importance of what he was doing, and I think they cut out things like her ignoring Goku after his battle with Vegeta). Though it does seem like you agree with me that Chi-Chi would do the same thing to Goku as in my fic, since you seem to hate him too. The way you talk about him from Chi-Chi's perspective, do you honestly think she'd stay with him with the attitude you're saying she has? xP Honestly, if you're a _fan_ of Chi-Chi, you brought it upon yourself in reading this fic. Unless it's to help, I don't read fics that involve characters not being paired with the ones I like. It feels like cheating on them lol.  
**

 **Anyway,** **I do hope this was a decent epilogue. I started it like 2 hours ago and only had a rough idea of what I wanted as I wrote it out. But this is definitely everything that I can really put into this. It's not impossible for me to be hit with inspiration like this again maybe, but most of my focus is on other creative media since it's part of my actual job. However, if someone does ever want to make a sequel, I'll stay involved as a betareader to make sure it at least meets the expectations people would have from this story, and that it would also keep consistent elements/ideas/personality traits from this story (basically so they don't suddenly seem OoC and/or forget to do or say things you'd expect them to. Like Caulifla's drive/promise to keep Goku from having to shoulder so much danger on his own, and also that bite mark is a staple xP)  
**

 **I am really glad to have been a part of this experience, and thank you all for sharing it with me!**


End file.
